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Lot Essay
Sam Josefowitz also owned a first and third state of this plate, which together formed a fascinating ensemble, demonstrating how Rembrandt step by step darkened the plate, as if he was witnessing and recording the Holy Family's progression on their nocturnal journey (see also lot 39).
The present sixth state is a true night piece, and a highly concentrated image: the added shading pares down the composition even further, almost obliterating the hills and building in the background, which were still partially visible in the earlier states. The present sheet really only depicts Mary and Joseph trotting along, the Virgin seated sideways on the donkey led by Joseph. We must assume that she is holding the Christ child, but we cannot see Him. Joseph is carrying a brightly-lit lantern, which casts long shadows onto the ground and illuminates him, the rock or shrubs above, the donkey and Mary's headscarf, cloak and - very faintly - Her face. The sky has significantly darkened compared to the first state, and still further compared to the third state, where the last remnants of daylight or perhaps pale rays of moonlight breaking through the clouds were still discernible. Already in the first state Rembrandt explored the nocturnal aspect of the scene, as he printed at least four impressions with a heavy plate tone (see British Museum, inv. no. F,4.103). These experiments with plate tone and selective wiping did not seem to have satisfied him, and he must have decided at this point to permanently obscure the image further by adding increasingly dense hatching to all areas of the plate in the subsequent four states, all printed in very small numbers. In the present sixth state, of which he produced the first sizeable print run, the image is almost completely blackened, with the lantern as the only highlight, casting a faint twilight onto the figures.
One of the finest and most moving night scenes in Rembrandt's printed oeuvre, lifetime impressions of this subject have always been very desirable.
The present sixth state is a true night piece, and a highly concentrated image: the added shading pares down the composition even further, almost obliterating the hills and building in the background, which were still partially visible in the earlier states. The present sheet really only depicts Mary and Joseph trotting along, the Virgin seated sideways on the donkey led by Joseph. We must assume that she is holding the Christ child, but we cannot see Him. Joseph is carrying a brightly-lit lantern, which casts long shadows onto the ground and illuminates him, the rock or shrubs above, the donkey and Mary's headscarf, cloak and - very faintly - Her face. The sky has significantly darkened compared to the first state, and still further compared to the third state, where the last remnants of daylight or perhaps pale rays of moonlight breaking through the clouds were still discernible. Already in the first state Rembrandt explored the nocturnal aspect of the scene, as he printed at least four impressions with a heavy plate tone (see British Museum, inv. no. F,4.103). These experiments with plate tone and selective wiping did not seem to have satisfied him, and he must have decided at this point to permanently obscure the image further by adding increasingly dense hatching to all areas of the plate in the subsequent four states, all printed in very small numbers. In the present sixth state, of which he produced the first sizeable print run, the image is almost completely blackened, with the lantern as the only highlight, casting a faint twilight onto the figures.
One of the finest and most moving night scenes in Rembrandt's printed oeuvre, lifetime impressions of this subject have always been very desirable.