Saskia with Pearls in Her Hair 1634

Rembrandt van Rijn etched this print of his wife, Saskia van Uylenburgh, in 1634. Saskia, adorned with pearls, offers a glimpse into the world of the Dutch Golden Age, where the burgeoning merchant class embraced luxury and portraiture became a means of displaying social status. Rembrandt's choice of etching, a relatively new medium, allowed for the mass production of images, making art more accessible to a wider audience. This print subtly challenges the traditional hierarchies of art, bringing the intimate portrait, typically reserved for the elite, to a broader market. To truly understand this artwork, one must delve into the social and economic fabric of 17th-century Netherlands. By consulting historical records, letters, and inventories, we can better grasp the cultural significance of Saskia's pearls and the role of art in shaping identity and social mobility.