This is such a sad piece to read but those were the days when the woman was considered a sub-human and can be labelled as whore for taking independent decisions.
This one was more revolutionary because Hendrickje was actually a servant girl who chose to live on her own terms. There is no doubt that Rembrandt himself was not considered the best artist of his own time and led a miserable life (of poverty and personal losses) but never he was awarded such a nickname.
The church treated her equally bad. Given that a larger part of narrative talks about god, and a strong faith in his judgement, this was lost to church officials who couldn't accept the fact that a christian woman is living with a man out of marriage. A man in a similar position could have caused nothing more than a few raised eyebrows.
Hendrickje longed for the recognition which she never got but that doesn't mean she didn't live a fulfilled life. This narrative is a mix of facts and imagination but she is immortal now in the paintings of her lover. A lover who couldn't provide for what she wanted apart from honesty which she accepted.
There are Hendrickje in our time also and I hope they wish for the right thing (not the social recognition) and live their life on their own terms because love is sufficient to make a life worth living, even if sounds like a cliche.
Love
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