Flora c. 1654

Rembrandt van Rijn painted this alluring portrait of a woman as Flora, the Roman goddess of springtime and flowers, sometime in the mid-1650s. Here, Rembrandt is working within a tradition of depicting women from mythology, but what makes this particular artwork resonate is how it seems to transform the model into this classical figure. Perhaps this reflects Rembrandt’s own personal life, as it is rumored to be a portrait of his partner Hendrickje Stoffels. The painting encourages us to consider the lives of the women who modeled for these images, as well as the societal expectations placed on them. As viewers, we are invited to ponder the nuances of identity, performance, and the personal relationships that intertwine with artistic creation. How does this representation affirm or challenge our understanding of femininity and power during the Dutch Golden Age?