Self-Portrait Etching at a Window - Rembrandt van Rijn

Art Institute of Chicago, public domain

"Self-Portrait Etching at a Window" by Rembrandt van Rijn (1648) Etching, drypoint and burin in black on ivory laid paper.

Commentary

"Self-Portrait Etching at a Window" by Rembrandt van Rijn (1648) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. The print-based method rewards close viewing, where line, texture, and contrast do most of the expres sive work. Themes to notice include etching. This piece is held in Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings collection. Rembrandt van Rijn is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: Rembrandt van Rijn Dutch, 1606-1669. The work is cataloged within a Netherlands cultural context. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as etching, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Etching, drypoint and burin in black on ivory laid paper) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (Image/plate: 15.6 × 13 cm (6 3/16 × 5 1/8 in.); Sheet: 16.5 × 13.6 cm (6 1/2 × 5 3/8 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include etching. Compare this reading with the museum record at Art Institute of Chicago: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/181616

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data