By Peter Morse 



Kembrandfs Etching Technique: 



An Example 



A Rembrandt print in the collection of 

 the Smithsonian Institution has been 

 made the subject of a study of the 

 artist's etching techniqiie. The au- 

 thor is associate curator, division of 

 graphic arts, in the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution's Mtiseum of History and 

 Technology. 



Rembrandt's print, Landscape with a hay barn and a 

 .. flock of sheep,^ is a singularly apt example of the 

 variety of etching treatment used by the artist in his 

 mature period. - The print, in black ink, 83 x 1 74 mm. 

 in size (approximately Zji x 7 inches), is signed and 

 dated 1650.^ It shows a peaceful Dutch landscape 

 along the Onderdijk Road on the south side of the 

 Saint Anthony's Dike, only a short walk from Rem- 

 brandt's home in Amsterdam. The picture is, as 

 usual, the mirror reversal of the actual scene. * 



The observer's attention, from his raised position, 

 is first drawn to the center of the print, attracted by 

 the bright highlights on the trees and barn, then is 

 snapped abruptly to the left side by the figure of the 

 woman outlined against the sky. Now the eye moves 

 slowly across the bottom, noticing the flock of sheep 

 and the shepherd, and is led further by the soft dark 

 line of the creek bank, to pick up the distant town and 

 then the cows on the right. Only after completely 

 circling the composition does one notice the horse, 

 rolling in the grass and joyfully kicking its feet in 

 the air. 



Such artistic command seldom comes spontaneously. 



PAPER 61 : REMBRANDT S ETCHING TECHNIQUE 



.Ml footnotre appear at the end of this paper, commencing on 

 page 105. 



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