Portrait of Haesje Jacobsdr van Cleyburg

"Portrait of Haesje Jacobsdr van Cleyburg" is a significant early career work by Rembrandt van Rijn, dated 1634. Executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, this piece originates from a productive period when the artist had recently moved to Amsterdam and quickly became the city’s most sought-after portraitist. The painting depicts Haesje Jacobsdr van Cleyburg, the wife of a successful Rotterdam clergyman, reflecting the increasing demand for individualized portraiture among the affluent Dutch merchant and professional classes during the height of the Golden Age.

Rijn showcases his developing mastery of realism and psychological depth in this three-quarter view. The subject is rendered with meticulous attention to the costly fabrics of her attire, including the intricate texture of her massive millstone ruff and the somber, rich tones of her velvet gown. Through his characteristic use of chiaroscuro, Rijn sculpts the sitter’s face using dramatic contrasts of light and shadow, highlighting her expression and giving the work an immediate, living quality that surpasses the stiffness of earlier Dutch portrait conventions.

The piece holds an important place within Dutch art history and is proudly held within the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. As a pivotal example of Rijn’s portrait technique from the 1630s, the work is widely referenced. Due to its age and historical importance, the painting often falls into the category of public domain art, making high-quality reference imagery and fine art prints of this masterwork accessible globally.