Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
Abraham Entertaining the Angels, 1656, etching and drypoint, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.7160
Rembrandt, one of the greatest interpreters of biblical stories, turned to the Bible as a source of inspiration for his etchings throughout his career, but particularly during the 1650s. He depicted not only scenes from the Old Testament and the Apocrypha but also stories found in the New Testament, particularly those centered on the life of Christ. He always demonstrated a remarkable empathy for the human dimension of these accounts, whatever their theological implications. Whether portraying Old Testament patriarchs such as Abraham at moments of spiritual crisis, the Holy Family at rest in a simple dwelling, or Christ preaching, Rembrandt transformed the written word into vividly compelling pictorial language. He made at least two print series, one devoted to the childhood of Christ and one with scenes from Christs life and resurrection, both of which are on view in this room.
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
Abraham's Sacrifice, 1655, etching and drypoint, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.7161
A master printmaker, Rembrandt exploited the etching medium to its fullest, finding within it unprecedented opportunities to express both the natural and spiritual qualities of light in his biblical scenes. He often reprinted his plates in new states as he amended his compositions, frequently by adding drypoint to enhance the velvety textures of materials or the deep darks of shaded areas. Rembrandt experimented with the inking and wiping of his copper plates to create tonal effects that would shape the dramatic character of his scenes. For the same reason, he also experimented with different types of papers; in some, the ink penetrated the paper deeply, while in others, it lies largely diffused over the surface.
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
David in Prayer, 1652, etching and some drypoint, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.7219
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
Jacob's Ladder, 1655, etching, burin and drypoint, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.7209
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
The Virgin and Child with the Cat and Snake, 1654, etching, Gift of Philip Hofer, 1941.3.13
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
The Adoration of the Shepherds: with the Lamp, c. 1654, etching, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.7215
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
The Flight into Egypt: Crossing a Brook, 1654, etching and drypoint, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.9113
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
The Circumcision in the Stable, 1654, etching, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.7214
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
Christ Returning from the Temple with His Parents, 1654, etching and drypoint, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.7212
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
Christ Preaching (La petite Tombe), c. 1652, etching, engraving, and drypoint, Gift of W.G. Russell Allen, 1955.6.5
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
Christ Preaching (The Hundred Guilder Print), c. 1643/1649, etching, drypoint and burin on European (white) paper, Gift of R. Horace Gallatin, 1949.1.48
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
Saint Francis beneath a Tree Praying, 1657, drypoint and etching, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.7156
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
Christ and the Woman of Samaria: an Arched Print, 1658, etching and drypoint, Gift of Philip Hofer, 1941.3.14
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
Christ Crucified between the Two Thieves (The Three Crosses), 1653, drypoint and engraving on laid paper, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.7174
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
The Entombment, c. 1654, etching, drypoint and burin, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.7163
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
The Entombment, c. 1654, etching, drypoint and burin, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.7271
Rembrandt's Religious Etchings
Christ Appearing to the Apostles, 1656, etching, Rosenwald Collection, 1950.1.114
This exhibition is no longer on view at the National Gallery.
Overview: 23 etchings by Rembrandt illustrating scenes from the Old and New Testaments were selected from the holdings of the National Gallery of Art for this exhibition, presented in conjunction with Rembrandt's Late Religious Portraits.
Organization: The exhibition was organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington. Arthur K. Wheelock Jr., curator of northern baroque painting, was the curator.
Image: Rembrandt van Rijn, Abraham's Sacrifice, 1655, etching and drypoint, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.7161
