Hendrickje first came to work as a maid at Rembrandt's house in 1649, when she was 23, Rembrandt's junior by 20 years. At the time, Rembrandt was living with his mistress Geertje Dircks, who had herself been originally hired as nursemaid to Rembrandt's son Titus, following the death of his wife, Saskia.
When Hendrickje arrived at the house, she quickly replaced Geertje in Rembrandt's affections. After a bitter and convoluted separation from Geertje, Rembrandt lived happily with Hendrickje until her death in 1663.
We know that Hendrickje gave birth to Rembrandt's daughter Cornelia in 1654, so if she is the model for 'A Woman bathing in a Stream' she would have been pregnant when it was painted.
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Main image: Detail from Rembrandt, 'Portrait of Hendrickje Stoffels', probably 1654-6. London, The National Gallery.
Detail: Detail from Rembrandt, 'A Woman bathing in a Stream (Hendrickje Stoffels?)', 1654. London, The National Gallery.
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