San Diego Museum of Art - Self-portrait, Etching at a Window

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Bookmark: https://collection.sdmart.org/objects-1/info/1470

Self-portrait, Etching at a Window

Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn (AKA Rembrandt Harmensz.van Rijn), Dutch, (July 15, 1606–1669)

Creation date: 1648

Creation place: Netherlands

Other Information

Type: Etching

Medium and Support: Etching, drypoint, and burin on laid paper

Credit Line: Museum purchase with funds provided by the Helen M. Towle Bequest

Accession Number: 1947.64.d

Dimensions: 6 1/4 in. x 5 1/16 in. (15.88 cm x 12.86 cm)

Provenance

Bertie Heilbron, Coronado, California ( - February 28, 1947)

San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, California (February 28, 1947 - )

Label Copy

Rembrandt was a famously relentless self-portraitist, but this print marked the return to his etched self-portraits after a nine year interval. It is nonetheless often considered the greatest, most searching, of all his self-portrait etchings. The artificial poses, elaborate costumes, and dramatic expressions of his earlier examples are gone. Instead, we see him drawing, etching, or perhaps just writing. Typical of Rembrandt's-and also Bol's-etchings of around 1650, the print is fairly dense, with rich cross-hatching in the shadows and finely detailed clothing.

There are five states of this self-portrait, although the last is generally thought to be a reworking by a later artist in order to restore a worn out plate. This fourth state represents Rembrandt's final version and includes a landsape view outside the window.
Last Updated: 2/5/2020

Exhibition

This object was included in the following exhibitions:

The Art of the Print San Diego Museum of Art , 10/26/1991 - 1/5/1992

The Age of Rembrandt: Etchings from Holland's Golden Century San Diego Museum of Art , 10/13/2001 - 1/13/2002

The Famous Face: Portraiture in Prints from Dürer to Warhol University of San Diego , 3/2/2007 - 5/27/2007

Visible Vaults The San Diego Museum of Art , 11/12/2016 - 00/00/00

Rembrandt and Printmakers in the Netherlands The San Diego Museum of Art , 9/4/2020 - 4/18/2021

Bibliography

This object has the following bibliographic references:

The Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego Catalogue: San Diego Museum of Art. San Diego, California, 1960
Page Number: 97

Mr. Steven Kern. The Age of Rembrandt: San Diego Museum of Art. San Diego, California, 2001
Page Number: 18 no. 5, 24, Figure Number: 5

Charles Stuart Lane, ed. Journal of the Print World Journal of the Print World, Inc.. Meredith, New Hampshire, Fall 2001
Page Number: 29

W.S. Di Piero. San Diego Reader San Diego Reader. San Diego, California, November 29, 2001
Page Number: 74, Figure Number: 74

Julie Dunn, ed. The Famous Face: The University of San Diego. San Diego, California, 2007
Page Number: 15 no. 9