Geertje Dircx

Geertje Dircx (* 1610 in Edam, † 1656 in Edam ) was the temporary companion of the painter Rembrandt van Rijn.

Life

Geertje Dircx was born around 1610 in the northern Dutch town of Edam in modest circumstances. Her father was a ship's carpenter. As a young woman she worked in a guest house in the seafaring town of Hoorn. There she met the ship's current Peter Abraham Claeszoon and married him. However, as many women sailor she was soon a widow. Then she joined a job as a housekeeper in Hoorn. To 1642, she moved to Amsterdam in the Rembrandt's household.

This was at that time a famous and wealthy artists. His wife Saskia Uylenburgh had died in June 1642 and had left him with the small son Titus van Rijn. Geertje was his nurse. Soon, a love relationship with Rembrandt developed. He gave or lent her even Saskia's jewelry. 1648 Geertje particular the six-year Titus to her " single heir ." A little later, however, Rembrandt ended the relationship with her ​​because he began an affair with his maid Hendrickje Stoffels. This was about 16 years younger than Geertje.

Geertje undressed and then sued Rembrandt, because he had promised her marriage and this is not adhered to. The painter tried to bring about a settlement out of court. He told her to an annual alimony of 160 guilders. But shortly before the scheduled signing of the contract Geertje made ​​him a scene and yelled at him in the presence of the notary, that this amount was not sufficient.

Now the matter of the " Huwelijkskrakeelkamer ", the Chamber of marital strife was decided. In a hearing held on October 23, 1649 Geertje told the judges that "the Preloaded several times has slept with her ." Therefore, they demand that he marry her either or aufkomme for their maintenance. The court ordered Rembrandt to an annual alimony of 200 guilders. Geertje had to commit, Titus not to disinherit and also to bequeath him later the entire jewelry she had received from Rembrandt in return.

Instead, however, they pledged a portion of the valuables. Then Rembrandt was so angry that he bribed her brother Pieter Dircx and jointly collected incriminating evidence against Geertje with him. This meant that she was convicted in 1650 for admission to the women's prison of Gouda. For the cost of their arrest and surrender of Rembrandt came on. He also financed their stay in the so-called "spin house".

In the prison Geertje vegetating in appalling conditions there. Five years later, however, succeeded her friend Trijn Jacobs to secure their release. The simple widow negotiated this successfully with the City Council of Gouda. Rembrandt threatened her by saying that you 'll " still be sorry ", and also tried to get the city council on his side, but Trijn Jacobs prevailed. Although Geertje was sick, she began with the collection of testimonies to sue Rembrandt. The now highly indebted artist was preparing also for the process. Geertje lived to see how Rembrandt was forced to declare bankruptcy, but shortly afterwards she died. Your biographer Christoph Driessen 's verdict: " The tenacity with which they fought the much more influential Rembrandt, commands respect. "

Was artistically inspired by Rembrandt Geertje apparently not. No secured painting is known. Perhaps it served as a model for a woman lying in bed a curtain retracts ( National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh). It is also assumed that it is in the representation of a woman in North Holland Costume at the British Museum to Geertje.