Self-Portrait with Saskia

Self-Portrait with Saskia is an intimate and historically significant print created by the master draftsman Rembrandt van Rijn in 1636. This celebrated work, executed using the demanding medium of etching, captures the artist alongside his wife, Saskia van Uylenburgh, shortly after their marriage. Rijn was a prolific self-portraitist, using the technique of etching to experiment with expressions, roles, and compositional structures in a way that differed significantly from his contemporary oil paintings.

The period from 1601 to 1650 marked the zenith of the Dutch Golden Age, a time when economic prosperity fueled a robust market for prints and highly detailed personal compositions. Unlike formal Baroque double portraits of the era, Rijn presents this piece almost as a casual snapshot or a moment caught in action. The artist positions himself confidently in the foreground, seemingly mid-sketch or drawing, while Saskia is seated slightly behind him. Her softer gaze and positioning suggest a mutual, private engagement. The dynamic composition highlights their partnership, offering a rare document of the artist’s personal life during a crucial stage of his professional career.

As a central figure in 17th-century art, Rijn continually redefined the scope of portraiture, blurring the lines between historical narrative and personal documentation. This work stands as his only known etched double portrait of himself and Saskia, making it an invaluable piece within his graphic oeuvre. The classification of this masterwork as a print from the 1601 to 1650 period confirms its importance in the history of Dutch graphic arts. The ability of the medium to create multiple impressions meant that Rijn’s work could be distributed widely; today, examples of his finest prints are often available through public domain archives for study. The original artwork currently resides in the prestigious collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.