Rembrandt van Rijn was a Dutch artist well known for his numerous paintings and prints of landscapes, people and animals. His subjects included biblical, secular and mythological scenes. Rembrandt also tried his hand at nudes, although they were not popular among his contemporaries. Rembrandt's nudes were his interpretation of the real human body. He painted every wrinkle and every fold of the body. Rembrandt's nudes were not considered ugly and grotesque. Her nudes did not resemble the Greek goddesses her colleagues depicted. There have been debates and questions about whether or not Rembrandt used the most important women in his life as models for his nude masterpieces. The most important women in his life were his wife Saskia, his son's nanny, Geertje Dircks, and his common-law wife and mother of his daughter, Hendrickje Stoffels. Rembrandt would not use the women in his life as models for his nude paintings because at that time, posing nude was considered immoral and he would not have compromised them. Despite this, some evidence suggests that he used Hendrickje as a model in a nude portrait.Danaë, 1636 Many art historians consider Rembrandt's 1636 Danaë to be the most impressive nude in 17th-century historical painting. It is painted on a large scale but much more intimate in character than The Blinding of Samson where Rembrandt abandoned his dramatic style. The character Danaë represented in the painting is the mother of Perseus from Greek mythology. It is assumed in the painting that she welcomes Zeus into her room where he impregnates her in the form of a shower of gold. The figure in this painting is palpable and realistic and exudes great sensuality unlike any other painting of nudes in water...... middle of paper ...... daily life as nudes for his portrait. First, he would not have depicted the women in his life who could be easily recognized by people. But more importantly, Rembrandt is unlikely to use the women in his life as models for his nude paintings, because at that time, posing nude was immoral. PJ Broos et al. “Rembrandt van Rijn.” Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. February 9, 2011. Sluijter, Eric Jan. Rembrandt and the female nude. Amsterdam: Amsterdam UP, 2006. Print. (pp. 221-222) Sluijter, Eric Jan. Rembrandt and the female nude. Amsterdam: Amsterdam UP, 2006. Print. (p. 113-115) "Bath-Sheba at her bath – Rembrandt Harmensz. VAN RIJN, known as REMBRANDT – Paintings | Louvre Museum." Official website of the Louvre Museum. Internet. February 10. 2011.