Interior with a Winding Stair and a Sitting Man 1636 - 1639

Rembrandt van Rijn made this drawing, "Interior with a Winding Stair and a Sitting Man," with pen in brown ink and brown wash on paper. Rembrandt was working in 17th century Netherlands, when the Dutch Republic was becoming a major economic power. This drawing gives us an intimate look at daily life during the Dutch Golden Age. Notice the winding staircase, a common feature in Dutch homes, suggesting a sense of domesticity. Yet, Rembrandt also captures a certain social dynamic, with the lone figure sitting quietly amidst the architectural structure. The composition is quite simple, as Rembrandt often used visual codes to hint at the socio-political context of his time. This was an era of mercantile expansion and increasing social stratification, but his drawing subverts the grandiosity of wealth and empire with a scene of personal reflection. To understand this work better, we can research the economic conditions of 17th century Netherlands and the development of the Dutch middle class. By combining this with the visual analysis of the artwork we can appreciate Rembrandt's understanding of the social structures of his time.