The Presentation in the Temple in the Dark Manner

c. 1654

Rembrandt van Rijn

Associated Names
Rembrandt van Rijn

Artist, Dutch, 1606 - 1669

This is a drawing of a historical scene taking place within an architectural setting. The composition is rich in dark tones and intricate details, featuring an interior space with a group of figures gathered in a solemn manner. The scene is dominated by a large figure wearing an elaborate headdress, possibly holding a long staff or sceptre, which gives the impression of authority or religious significance. The surrounding architecture frames the gathering, with visible columns and an archway providing depth to the setting. The figures are rendered with a high level of detail, emphasizing their drapery and expressions, conveying a sense of gravity and importance. The entire drawing is executed in a dense, cross-hatched style that creates a dramatic play of light and shadow, lending a mysterious and intense atmosphere to the scene.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and drypoint

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    plate: 21 x 16.2 cm (8 1/4 x 6 3/8 in.)
    sheet: 21.6 x 16.7 cm (8 1/2 x 6 9/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1951.12.1

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    White/Boon 1969, no. 50, State only

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Jam Gijsbert Verstolk van Soelen (Lugt 2490); Moriz de Fries (Lugt 2930); Collection D'Arenberg (Lugt 567); Lessing Julius Rosenwald (Lugt 1760b) purchased from William Schab 1951; given to the National Gallery of Art 1951

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1952

  • 100 Masterpieces of the Print, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1952, no catalogue.

1953

  • Masterpieces of Graphic Art from the Rosenwald Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1953-1954, no catalogue.

1955

  • Miniatures and Prints from the Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1955, no catalogue.

1956

  • Marion Koogler McNay Art Institute, San Antonio, TX, 1956-1957.

  • Masterpieces of Graphic Art from the Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1956, no cat.

1958

  • The Fantastic, the Occult, and the Bizarre in Prints from the Rosenwald Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1958, no catalogue.

  • Drawings and Prints by Rembrandt from the Rosenwald and Widener Collections, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1958, no catalogue.

  • Christmas Prints, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1958-1959, no cat.

1961

  • University of Notre Dame Art Gallery, South Bend, IN, 1961.

  • Rembrandt's Etchings, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1961-1962.

1969

  • Rembrandt in the National Gallery of Art [Commemorating the Tercentenary of the Artist's Death], National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1969, no. 54, 57, repro.

1973

  • Etchings by Rembrandt, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1973, no catalogue.

2006

  • Strokes of Genius: Rembrandt's Prints and Drawings, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Bibliography

1923

  • Hind, Arthur M. A Catalogue of Rembrandt's Etchings. London: Methuen and Co. Ltd., 1923.

1969

  • White, Christopher and Karel G. Boon. Rembrandt's Etchings. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Van Gendt & Co., 1969.

1993

  • The New Hollstein Dutch & Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts, 1450-1700. Rotterdam: Sound & Vision Interactive, 1993: no. 285, only.

Wikidata ID

Q65364769

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