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
To
create the image, Rembrandt incised, or drew on, the ground with an etching
needle. Since the ground was soft, he could draw easily, almost
as if he were using a pencil.
