The Descent from the Cross: a Sketch

1642

Rembrandt van Rijn

Associated Names
Rembrandt van Rijn

Artist, Dutch, 1606 - 1669

This is a drawing of a religious scene depicting a crucifixion. The drawing features a composition centered around a large wooden cross on which a figure is hanging. There are several other figures around the cross, some engaged in actions related to the crucifixion. The scene is characterized by intricate lines and shading, typical of sketches or etchings, that suggest movement and expression. The style and detail reflect a dramatic and emotional narrative captured in a monochromatic palette, emphasizing the gravity of the scene.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and drypoint

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    plate: 15 x 11.8 cm (5 7/8 x 4 5/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.7179

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    White/Boon 1969, no. 82, State only

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Furst zu Oettingen-Wallerstein (Lugt 2715a); Lessing Julius Rosenwald (Lugt 1760b) purchased from Richard Zinser; given to the National Gallery of Art 1943

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1946

  • The Life of Christ as Depicted in the Etchings of Rembrandt, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1946, no cat.

2001

  • The Unfinished Print, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 2001.

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. 204, only.

Wikidata ID

Q65024696

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