Rembrandt van Rijn, Andromeda, c. 1630 According to Greek mythology, princess Andromeda had to be sacrificed to free her country from an all-consuming sea monster. Chained to a rock and awaiting her fate, she was rescued by the Greek hero Perseus. Rembrandt did not paint the whole story, but only depicted the terrified Andromeda. This is typical; he made emotion the main motif of the picture. The realism with which Rembrandt depicted the naked body is far removed from the classical ideal of beauty.
