REMBRANDT Harmenszoon van Rijn
(b. 1606, Leiden, d. 1669, Amsterdam)

Minerva in her Study (detail)

1635
Oil on canvas
The Leiden Collection, New York

The painting shows the lavishly attired young goddess Minerva seated behind a table on which lies an open folio. Her body is slightly twisted towards us, and she is looking attentively in the direction of the viewer. She is wearing a grey-blue dress with a tight bodice and loose sleeves over a white chemise and a light grey skirt. her shoulders are covered by a cloak made from shimmering gold brocade, which contrasts with the blue and grey tones of her dress. Her flowing gold-blond hair is adorned with a wreath of laurel. Next to some books and a globe are the goddess's attributes: spear, helmet, and a shield decorated with the head of Medusa.