A woman making water

Rembrandt created A Woman Making Water, depicting a woman relieving herself in an outdoor setting. Such frank depictions of everyday bodily functions were unusual in 17th-century art, but Rembrandt approached all aspects of human life with unflinching honesty.

The work reflects Rembrandt's broader commitment to depicting reality without idealization. He found subjects worthy of art in scenes that other artists might have considered beneath their dignity.