Two Studies of a Woman Reading

Two Studies of a Woman Reading, executed between 1635 and 1640 by Rembrandt van Rijn, is a powerful drawing rendered in pen and brown iron-gall ink. This masterwork of Dutch Golden Age draftsmanship showcases the rapid, expressive use of line characteristic of the artist’s middle period. The sheet presents two distinct studies of a woman deeply engaged in a book. The use of iron-gall ink, a standard and permanent medium in 17th-century Holland, provides a rich, warm tone that emphasizes the spontaneous economy of line employed by Rembrandt.

These intimate studies belong to a significant series of the artist’s graphic works focusing on domestic life and scenes of quiet contemplation. The subject of women reading was popular in the Dutch Golden Age, often symbolizing piety, private virtue, or intellectual engagement. Unlike finished paintings, Rembrandt primarily used such drawings, now held securely in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s renowned collection, as exercises to quickly study gesture, posture, and light fall. He captures the quiet intensity of the reader through minimal, yet highly suggestive, strokes.

The duality of the studies on a single sheet underscores Rembrandt’s process of quickly isolating the most expressive pose. This technical focus on everyday activities places the work firmly within the observational tradition of 17th-century realism. Due to the drawing’s age and historical importance, high-quality prints and digital reproductions are widely accessible, allowing researchers and collectors to study this foundational piece. The enduring presence of the artwork, often available through public domain sources, ensures its continued scholarly examination alongside Rembrandt’s better-known oil paintings and etchings, further illuminating the preparatory stages of his extensive output.