Saskia as Flora

A radiant 1634 portrait of Rembrandt's wife Saskia as Flora, the Roman goddess of spring. Swathed in silk and satin with silver embroidery, crowned with flowers including what appears to be a prized "broken" tulip. Painted in the year of their marriage.

Saskia's expression carries characteristic complexity: young, innocent, almost embarrassed. The goddess Flora symbolized spring, fertility, and beauty — likely alluding to Saskia's pregnancy.

One of several mythological portraits of Saskia. A related 1635 version hangs at the National Gallery London. This version is at the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.