Young Girl at an Open Half-Door (1645)

Item Number: cor-00492001

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn
(b. July 15, 1606, Leiden, Neth.--d. Oct. 4, 1669, Amsterdam)

The portraits of Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn might be better described as 'character studies'. Here we see a young girl at the threshold of some house or shop, body and head squared in an almost official way, yet with eyes that follow some goings on in the street. Notice Rembrandt's use of light and shadow, which brings out the girls necklace of red beads, reddish-brown hair, and of course that sidelong glance.

The original of this Portrait can now be visited at the Art Institute of Chicago, where it has hung since April of 1938.