Abraham Entertaining the Angels by Rembrandt van Rijn

Angels (recto) (detail) by Rembrandt van Rijn
Rembrandt van Rijn, Abraham Entertaining the Angels (recto) (detail), 1656, etched copperplate with drypoint, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Ladislaus and Beatrix von Hoffman and Patrons' Permanent Fund 1997.85.1.a

Eighty-two of Rembrandt's copperplates survive today. After his death, unscrupulous dealers profited by using the plates to make unauthorized prints. Many of the plates have been eroded by this abuse. The National Gallery of Art's copperplate of Abraham Entertaining the Angels is unusual; it is perfectly preserved—the incised lines still contain Rembrandt's original ink.