The Flight into Egypt: crossing a Brook

One of a total of eight prints on the theme of the Flight into Egypt or the Rest on the Flight, all of which differ greatly in style, composition and format, the present version once again showcases Rembrandt’s willingness to experiment and his success in adapting to different challenges. By loosely applying acid directly onto the plate, a technique called open-bite, Rembrandt created a visual effect which perfectly imitates the fluid nature of the water of the brook at the lower edge of the plate.

The present impression compares well with the Cracherode impression in the British Museum.