The Mill

The Mill
Artist Rembrandt
Year 1645/1648
Medium Oil on canvas
Location National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
Dimensions 34.5 in x 41.6 in
87.6 cm x 105.6 cm
Rembrandt Famous Paintings
The Night Watch
The Return of the Prodigal Son
Self-Portrait
The Jewish Bride
Danaƫ
The Mill
The Storm on the Sea of Galilee
The Blinding of Samson
The Three Trees

The Mill is a painting by Rembrandt created sometime between 1645 and 1648 that is currently held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington. Rembrandt painted the scene in oil on canvas.

Composition

The focal point of the painting is a windmill standing on top of a cliff at the side of a river.

The painting is done mainly in dark colors to represent the fading light, and what appears to be an impending storm. It is not clear if the dark clouds are intended to indicate a storm because the water is quite calm.

In the bottom right corner there is a figure rowing a boat, whose sails are folded down, towards the shore. On the shoreline, there is a woman washing clothes and a male figure standing behind her.

Two figures, a woman and child, are walking down the hill from the mill, apparently on their way to meet the boatman.