Artist's Mother with her

Rembrandt Van Rijn

131339 Rembrandt Van Rijn The Artist's Mother with her Hand on her Chest: Small Bust 1631 B.349; H.50; BB. 31-9 3 5/8" x 2 1/2'' plate size 12 7/8" x 9 3/4" sheet size Etching on Ingres d'Arches off-white laid paper (watermark) with large margins. Initialed in the plate ("RL") and dated "1631." The second state according to Bjorklund, the seventh state according to Nowell-Eusticke. A 20th/21st Century impression printed by Marjorie Van Dyke. From the 'Millennium' edition limited to 2500 examples. This superbly printed etching with fine detail, strong contrast and delicate line work was pulled from the original plate as created by Rembrandt in 1631. The plate, formerly in the collection of Dr. Robert Lee Humber (along with 77 other original Rembrandt etching plates) had been on loan to the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, N.C. since the early 1960's. Upon Dr. Humber's death in 1970, his heirs sold the collection of plates to museums throughout the world, and a select group of private collectors in 1993. The late master printer, Emiliano Sorini spent two years proofing the plate for this etching and along with Marjorie Van Dyke carefully studied various states and proofs of the etchings created from the plate of "The Artist's Mother with her Hand on her Chest: Small Bust." This experience provided Ms. Van Dyke, who eventually took over the project, the knowledge and insight to create impressions from the copper plate and gave her direct observation of the dry-point and burin lines, burrs and subtle nuances of the copper plates that Rembrandt had etched. In creating this impression, Ms. Van Dyke commented, "Because of Rembrandt's mastery of the chiaroscuro technique imparted to him by the work of Caravaggio, careful attention has been paid to the lights and darks of the copper plates to avoid any over-wiping which may render the images more stark than Rembrandt intended…. I feel as though we have been granted an opportunity to conduct a dialog with Rembrandt, and have adhered faithfully to Rembrandt's intent, vision and printing technique." Consequently, as a result of the expertise and delicate and painstaking work of Ms. Van Dyke and Emiliano Sorini, this impression surpasses in richness, quality and subtlety the impressions pulled from the plate in the last two centuries by the previous owners. In this poignant portrait, Rembrandt captures his mother's careworn face and tender expression as she is found in contemplation, her eyes cast downward. The position of her hand upon her chest suggests the importance of her thoughts and closeness to her heart. The darkly etched dress and veil heighten the drama of the image, and the curve of the veil around and over her face creates an angelic effect, reinforced by the light behind. In 1589, Rembrandt's mother, Neeltgen Willemsdochter van ZuytBrouck, married Harmen Gerritszoon van Rijn in Leiden, Holland. Rembrandt was the next to the youngest of their nine children, two of whom died in infancy. Rembrandt created six etchings of his mother and several paintings of her as well. This work is an excellent example of the revolutionary notion known as Rembrandt's "psychological portraiture," where the sitter's humanity and spiritual essence are more deeply expressed than their mere physical likeness.

Reg. No.

131339

Size

3 3/4" x 2 1/2"

Year

1631

Medium

ETCHING

PW Price

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