REMBRANDT HARMENSZ. VAN RIJN (1606-1669)
REMBRANDT HARMENSZ. VAN RIJN (1606-1669)

The Flight into Egypt: a Night Piece

细节
REMBRANDT HARMENSZ. VAN RIJN (1606-1669)
The Flight into Egypt: a Night Piece
etching and drypoint
1651
on laid paper, without watermark
a brilliant impression of the very rare third state (of ten)
printing very strongly and evenly
with intense contrasts and luminous highlights
with narrow margins on three sides, trimmed to or just outside the subject at left
some tiny losses and thin spots along the sheet edges
otherwise in good condition
Sheet 129 x 111 mm.
来源
Probably Heneage Finch, 4th and 5th Earls of Aylesford (1751-1812) (1786-1859), London and Packington Hall, Warwickshire (without mark; see Lugt 58); sold with the entire collection to Woodburn in 1846.
With Samuel Woodburn (1786-1853), London (without his mark; see Lugt 2584).
With W. & G. Smith, London; acquired as part of the stock from the above; their sale, Sotheby's, London, 7-17 May 1849, lot 1033 (with two others; 'third, fourth and fifth states, extremely fine from Lord Aylesford's collection') (£ 11; to Gibbs).
John Heywood Hawkins (1802⁄3-1877), London and Bignor Park, Sussex (Lugt 1471; with his code ∑ω/Τ/ω' and inscribed 'undescribed by Bartsch, Woodburn's £ 4.16.0' and 'W[ilson] 58.3' in pencil verso).
With P. & D. Colnaghi & Co., London; acquired from the above.
Walter Francis, Duke of Buccleuch (1806-1884), London & Dalkeith, Scotland (Lugt 402); acquired from the above; his posthumous sale, Christie's, London, 19-22 April 1887, lot 1795 ('Third state; the landscape dark. From the same collections [Aylesford and Hawkins]' (£ 2.1; to Colnaghi).
With P. & D. Colnaghi & Co., London; acquired at the above sale.
Dr August Sträter (1810-1897), Aachen, Germany (Lugt 787); his posthumous sale, H. G. Gutekunst, Stuttgart, 10-14 May 1898, lot 686 ('Prachtvoller Abdruck des dritten Zustandes. [...] Ebenfalls äusserst selten') (Mk. 160; to Mathey).
Paul Mathey (1844-1929), Paris (Lugt 2100b); his sale, Hôtel Drouot (exp. L. Delteil), Paris, 9 April 1924, lot 28 (‘Superbe épreuve du 2e état [sic]. Collection Straeter.’) (Fr. 6,900) (cited in Lugt).
Henri Vever (1854-1943), Paris (without mark; see Lugt 2491bis); then by descent; their sale, Sotheby's, London, 30 June 1998, lot 87.
Sam Josefowitz (Lugt 6094); acquired at the above sale; then by descent to the present owners.
出版
Bartsch, Hollstein 53; Hind 253; New Hollstein 262 (this impression cited)
Stogdon 21

荣誉呈献

Tim Schmelcher
Tim Schmelcher International Specialist

拍品专文

This is an outstanding impression of the very rare third state - only nine impressions including the present one are recorded. Sam Josefowitz was able to acquire also a first and sixth 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.
It is a very concentrated image, and the added shading pares down the composition even further, almost obliterating the hills and building in the background, which were still discernible in the first state. 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, but the last remnants of daylight or perhaps a pale ray of moonlight break through the clouds. 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 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.
The Holy Family’s Flight into Egypt and the Rest on the Flight into Egypt are amongst Rembrandt’s most frequent motifs, and he returned to them in no fewer than eight etchings, several drawings and at least three paintings. It may have been a popular theme, but Rembrandt must have also had a creative interest in it. Perhaps it afforded him the opportunity to explore the subject of figures in a landscape in a wide variety of ways (see also lot 18).
The long provenance of the present sheet includes some of the greatest Rembrandt collectors of their time, of which Sam Josefowitz was only the latest: Earl of Aylesford, Hawkins, Duke of Buccleuch, Dr Sträter, Mathey, Vever. One of the finest and most moving night scenes in Rembrandt printed oeuvre, early states of this subject have always been very desirable and realised high prices for a print of such modest size.

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