Christ Crucified between the Two Thieves (The Three Crosses)
Medium
drypoint on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet (trimmed to plate mark): 39 x 45.5 cm (15 3/8 x 17 15/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.7174
Art Historical Context
Rembrandt van Rijn'sChrist Crucified between the Two Th (The Three Crosses, created in 1653, one of the Bible's most poignant moments: the Crucifixion at Golgotha, with Christ flanked by the two thieves on Calvary. This powerful print exemplifies Rembrandt's mastery during his mature Baroque period, where he infused religious subjects with profound emotional depth and drama. The artist's innovative use of light and shadow—chiaroscuro—draws the viewer into the chaotic scene, highlighting Christ's serene centrality amid the turmoil of soldiers, mourners, and onlookers. Executed in drypoint on l...
About the Artist
Rembrandt van Rijn · 1606–1669
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606–1669) stands as one of the greatest visual artists in the history of Western art and the most important Dutch painter of the 17th century. Born in Leiden to a prosperous miller's family, Rembrandt transformed painting through his revolutionary use of light and shadow, his psychological depth in portraiture, and his elevation of etching to a fine art. His approx...