‘Hanging beside the door is a painting of a wedding feast. The light is centred on the bride; the guests are banished to the shade. That is how it is when he looks at her: all others fade away.‘
– Rembrandt’s Promise
[ About Rembrandt’s Promise ]
1642. The Dutch Golden Age is underway, with Amsterdam at the height of its powers. Geertje, an impoverished widow from Edam, enters a melting pot of wealth and culture when she becomes nursemaid in the house of renowned painter Rembrandt.
After Rembrandt’s wife dies, Geertje grows close to him. Despite her friends’ warnings she begins a passionate affair with the master of light and shadow, with devastating results.
Based on the true story of a wronged woman who demanded justice, with themes of feminism, loss, ambition and redemption, Rembrandt’s Promise is a remarkable debut, perfect for fans of sumptuous historical fiction.
[ My Review ]
Rembrandt’s Promise by Barbara Leahy published March 27th with Eriu and is described as a ‘stunning historical immersion into the world of Rembrandt with a gripping plot of a promise turned sour. For fans of Stacey Halls, Maggie O’Farrell and Tracy Chevalier.’ Geertje Dircx is the protagonist of this true tale, a heroine of her time who fought for her rights as a woman, who was unafraid to take on the institutions of the day. But Geertje Dircx paid a huge price – this is her story.
Following a tragic few years, widow Geertje Dircx was floundering and alone. In 1642, her brother, Pieter, organised work for her as a nanny in the home of the famed artist Rembrandt. His wife Saskia was ill and was in need of assistance minding their young son, Titus. Geertje was a nurturing sort, good with small children, so it wasn’t long before she developed a bond with Titus. As Saskia’s health declined Geertje became more embedded in the household and she began to take notice of Rembrandt a little more. Starved of companionship she imagined what life would be like for her being the lady of such a grand premises but it was only ever a pipedream. She watched the comings and goings of the household, observing snippets as she went about her chores while very conscious of the fact that Saskia was slipping away.
When Rembrandt buried his wife, he lost his way as an artist. With unfinished commissions and debts to be paid, he became frustrated and angry. Geertje provided a listening ear and soon the pair were lovers. Geertje never planned for this to happen but when he gave her a marriage medal with a promise of love, she believed that it just might be possible for her, a country peasant, to make a life with such a formidable and renowned artist. But, as others had warned, Geertje was to realise that she was just a plaything, solace for the master in his time of need. After eight years in his home he replaced her with a younger maid. Geertje was asked to leave but she wouldn’t exit without a fight.
In 1642 women’s rights were non-existent and Geertje was eventually incarcerated in a House of Correction in Gouda which had an enormous impact on her well being and mental health. Conditions in the prison were horrendous and her survival was very much day by day. All Geertje did was defend her case as a woman who had believed in the love and honour of a respected man. She had loved Rembrandt and truly had believed in their bond. Her story is appalling and the manner of her incarceration is frightening.
Barbara Leahy has written a superb debut bringing Geertje Dircx very much to life. Reading Rembrandt’s Promise is like stepping back in time through the streets of Amsterdam and into the stifling stink of the House of Correction in Gouda. The pain and suffering endured by Geertje is depicted with a masterful pen, alongside some very tender moments when Geertje’s innermost thoughts and fears are explored.
Geertje Dircx was a woman betrayed, a trailblazer in many ways, but her eventual path to freedom robbed her of so much. Eloquent and meticulously researched, Rembrandt’s Promise is a glorious, atmospheric and polished debut, an easy recommendation for all lovers of historical fiction.
[ Thank you to Eriu Books for a copy of Rembrandt’s Promise in exchange for my honest review ]
[ Bio ]
Barbara Leahy is from Cork. She was a winner of the Irish Writers’ Centre Novel Fair in 2023. Her short stories have won numerous awards, appeared in the Bridport Prize Anthology, the Bristol Prize anthology, and been broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1. Rembrandt’s Promise is her first novel.
