Sick Woman with a White Headdress (Saskia)

Sick Woman with a White Headdress (Saskia) by Rembrandt van Rijn, dating from 1645, is a profound example of the artist's prolific printmaking career during the Dutch Golden Age. Classified as a print executed on paper, this intimate portrait likely utilizes the combination of etching and drypoint techniques for which the Dutch Master was renowned, allowing him to achieve highly dramatic contrasts in texture and shadow.

The subject is widely believed to depict Rembrandt’s late wife, Saskia van Uylenburgh, who had died three years prior to the print's creation. Rijn portrays the woman with sensitivity and solemnity, emphasizing her vulnerability through the delicate handling of light around the folds of the linen headdress. This close study of personal grief and human fragility distinguishes the print within the era's tradition, which often favored grander historical or mythological narratives. Rijn’s exceptional skill in manipulating the print medium to convey such deep emotional complexity secured his reputation as the premier graphic artist of the 17th century.

As one of the masterworks documenting the personal life and graphic genius of the artist, this piece is preserved within the distinguished collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Due to the historical nature and high quality of this and similar 17th-century prints, many works by Rijn have entered the public domain, ensuring global access to studies like Sick Woman with a White Headdress (Saskia) for both scholars and enthusiasts of Baroque art.