Few artists have mastered two media as completely as Rembrandt van Rijn. Studying Rembrandt the Rembrandt printmaker alongside Rembrandt the painter reveals an artist who experimented constantly, pushing etching and oil paint to new expressive limits. For collectors, his prints offer a rare point of access to one of the greatest names in Western art.
From Leiden to Amsterdam
Rembrandt (1606–1669) was born in Leiden and settled in Amsterdam in the early 1630s. There he became a sought-after portraitist and history painter during the Dutch Golden Age. His large group portrait known as The Night Watch (1642), now in the Rijksmuseum, remains one of the most famous paintings in the world.
His later life was marked by financial difficulty, including insolvency in the 1650s. Yet his late paintings and self-portraits are widely regarded as among his most profound achievements.
The Painter: Light and Humanity
As a painter, Rembrandt is celebrated for his dramatic use of light and shadow and for his deep sympathy with human character. He painted biblical narratives, portraits and an extraordinary series of self-portraits spanning his whole career.
His handling of paint grew increasingly free over time. In the late works, thick, textured brushwork gives faces and fabrics a remarkable physical presence.
The Printmaker: An Experimental Mind
Rembrandt treated etching not as a reproductive medium but as an art form in its own right. He drew directly on the plate with a freedom close to sketching, and often combined etching with drypoint and engraving.
- States: he frequently reworked plates, producing several distinct states of one image.
- Papers: he printed on varied supports, including Japanese paper, which gives a warm tone.
- Plate tone: he sometimes left ink on the plate surface to create atmospheric effects.
- Subjects: landscapes, beggars, nudes, portraits and religious scenes.
Celebrated examples include The Hundred Guilder Print and The Three Crosses, the latter radically transformed between states.
Collecting Rembrandt Prints
Because etchings exist in multiple impressions, Rembrandt prints are the most accessible way to own his work. Quality varies greatly, however. Early, richly inked impressions printed during his lifetime are prized far above later ones, as many plates were printed long after his death.
Collectors should consider the state, the quality and date of the impression, paper and watermarks, condition and provenance. Specialist catalogues raisonnés help establish each of these points. Our guides to Old Master paintings and artist profiles offer further context, and owners considering a sale may explore our consignment services.
An Enduring Influence
Rembrandt’s prints circulated widely in his own lifetime and spread his reputation across Europe. Later printmakers, from the eighteenth century onward, looked to him as a model of freedom and invention. His paintings, meanwhile, continue to define our idea of psychological depth in portraiture.
Seen together, the two halves of his practice tell a single story: an artist never satisfied, always searching for a truer way to render light, emotion and life.
For today’s collectors, studying both media side by side remains the best way to understand his achievement. A fine impression, carefully examined, can reveal as much about his hand as any canvas.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many etchings did Rembrandt make?
Scholars generally attribute around three hundred etchings to Rembrandt, although the exact number varies between catalogues.
What is a ‘state’ in a Rembrandt print?
A state is a stage in the development of the printing plate. Rembrandt often reworked his plates, so impressions printed at different stages show visible changes.
Where can Rembrandt’s major paintings be seen?
Key works are held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, including The Night Watch, as well as by the Mauritshuis, the National Gallery in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
