Master Impressions from the UAMA Collections: Rembrandt
February 15, 2007 - August 5, 2007
Rembrandt van Rijn, Abraham Francen, c.1657
Etching, drypoint and burin on laid paper, 6 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches
Gift of Mr. Peter Licavoli
1982.008.003
In celebration of the 400th anniversary of the birth of the Dutch master
Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669), UAMA is pleased to present a selection
of nine etchings from the permanent collections.
Born in Leiden in 1606, Rembrandt studied in Leiden and Amsterdam before
setting up his own studio. In 1632, after moving permanently to
Amsterdam, the artist began signing his works with his first name alone,
boldly imitating the great Italian artists Leonardo, Michelangelo and
Titian. Rembrandt enjoyed fame throughout Europe during his lifetime for
his mastery in painting, etching and drawing, and for his innovative
treatment of a wide range of subjects -- including biblical and secular
history, mythology, landscapes, portraits, nudes, still lifes,
allegories, and genre scenes. The artist's etchings established his
renown in large part, and many scholars assert that his skill in the
medium has never been surpassed. Rembrandt's first known etching dates
to 1628; he completed nearly 300 etchings during his lifetime.
The first Rembrandt print to enter the UAMA collection was Christ
Seated
Disputing with the Doctors, given to the museum by C. Leonard
Pfeiffer
in 1946. The most recent addition is Abraham's Sacrifice,
purchased
in
2005 with funds from the Edward J. Gallagher, Jr. Memorial Fund. The
prints on view demonstrate the range of the artist's style and
technique -- from the sketch-like, almost purely linear construction of
Christ Seated Disputing with the Doctors, to the intense
tonality
and
use of chiaroscuro in Descent from the Cross by Torchlight.
Untrained as
a printmaker, Rembrandt treated the etching needle like a paintbrush,
thereby expanding the expressive and aesthetic possibilities of the
medium. Thus, on seeing Rembrandt's prints, the Italian painter Guercino
wrote in 1660: "I frankly consider him to be a great virtuoso."
- Susannah Maurer, Assistant Curator
Master Impressions from the UAMA Collections:
This series of small, rotating presentations showcases the exceptional
breadth and depth of the UAMA Old Master print collection. These
selections offer focused consideration of a particularly significant
artist or theme, and elucidate some of the most influential developments
in the Western printmaking tradition.
