Woman bathing her feet at a brook

Woman bathing her feet at a brook is a compelling print created by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1658. Executed on paper, this late-period work exemplifies the artist's mastery of the etching medium, utilizing deep shadows and expressive lines to achieve dramatic visual effects. This classification of print work is highly prized for the intimacy and immediacy afforded by the technique. The piece is part of the permanent collection at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it serves as a key example of the Dutch master’s graphic output.

The print depicts a solitary female figure, positioned on the bank of a small stream, engaged in the simple, private act of washing her feet. The composition focuses intensely on the central figure, whose voluminous drapery catches the subtle light Rijn has expertly rendered using cross-hatching. Unlike the highly idealized figures common among Italian contemporaries, Rijn often favored subjects drawn from daily life, lending his prints a sense of grounded realism characteristic of the Dutch Golden Age.

This work showcases the evolution of Rijn’s draftsmanship during the final decade of his career, characterized by greater expressive freedom and less reliance on strict delineation. The etching plate work allows for a high degree of contrast between the brightly illuminated figure and the dense shadows of the surrounding setting. As one of Rijn's historically significant prints, Woman bathing her feet at a brook is now commonly recognized as being in the public domain, offering broad access for study and appreciation worldwide.