Couple standing close: he, in golden sleeves, rests a hand on the chest of the woman in red, who covers it with hers

The Jewish Bride

Rembrandt, c. 1665–1669

See it in the 3D Museum View the full image

What you see

A man and a woman fill almost the whole canvas, standing close, seen from the waist up. He wraps one arm around her, resting his hand on her shoulder, and lays the other gently on her chest; she covers that hand with her own. Her other hand rests near her waist. Neither looks at us: both lower their eyes, absorbed in the moment.

The deep red of her dress and the gold of his sleeve stand out against a greenish-brown background, with a hint of foliage on the right. On the sleeve, the paint is laid on so thickly that it rises from the surface in ridges. Look for her pearl necklace and earrings, the rings on her fingers and the bracelets at her wrist.

About Rembrandt

Rembrandt van Rijn was the great master of light and shadow of the Dutch Golden Age, in Amsterdam. He painted faces so expressive that they seem to think and feel. He made about 80 self-portraits, like a diary of his whole life.

All 12 works by Rembrandt