The Star of Kings: a Night Piece

This etching, a remarkable evocation of darkness, shows a little street scene during an Epiphany procession in Amsterdam. On 6 January, to celebrate the Adoration of the Magi, groups of children and grown-ups would walk through the city at night, singing and collecting small gifts. As a reference to the Star of Bethlehem that led the three kings to the stable where Christ was born, each group would carry a star-shaped lantern. We can see such a group in the foreground, partially lit by the lantern. Another lantern shines far in the background, and a few windows are dimly lit from inside the houses. The rest of the scene disappears in almost complete darkness. We can only vaguely discern the figures in the foreground, the outlines of the houses and rather guess than see that the distant lantern may be carried over a bridge across a canal.
Rembrandt may have been inspired to make this print by a slightly earlier engraving representing this custom by Jan van de Velde II (circa 1593-1641) after a design by Pieter de Molijn (1595-1661). Yet when Rembrandt turned to the subject, he decided to not just ‘depict’ the scene but to make us experience it for ourselves, as if we were part of this nocturnal procession – an effect that only fine, early impressions such as the present one can convey. At first impenetrable, they eyes begin to adapt to the darkness and to pick up the finest gradations and tiniest specks of light. Night-scenes became something of a specialty of Rembrandt's, and no other printmaker before or after would ever match his virtuosity and subtlety in rendering light within darkness (see also lots 19 and 29).