Rembrandt and his Wife Saskia

This 1638 painting traditionally known as Rembrandt and His Wife Saskia but actually by Bol was created during his time in Rembrandt's studio, when the young artist was absorbing every aspect of his teacher's approach. The misattribution—which persisted for centuries—reflects how thoroughly Bol internalized Rembrandt's style: the warm chiaroscuro, the specific Amsterdam costume, the psychological engagement between the figures are all characteristic of Rembrandt's mid-1630s manner. The corrected attribution reveals the extent to which studio assistants could replicate the master's style, a fundamental feature of early modern workshop practice that complicates art-historical attribution across the period.

The double portrait demonstrates Bol's close absorption of Rembrandt's style, the warm chiaroscuro and intimate treatment of the couple so closely matching the master's manner that the work was long attributed to Rembrandt himself.