De besnijdenis: kleine plaat
c. 1630
Medium
etching
Dimensions
89; 63
About this artwork
height 89 mm x width 63 mm
Art Historical Context
Rembrandt van Rijn'sDe besnijdenis: kleine plaat* (Thecision: small plate), created around 1630, is a delicate etching measuring just 89 mm high 63 mm wide. This work captures a pivotal biblical moment—the circumcision of the infant Christ, as described in the Gospel of Luke—rendered with the artist's characteristic drama and humanity. Produced during Rembrandt's early career in Leiden, it reflects the Dutch Golden Age's deep engagement with religious themes, blending spiritual reverence with everyday tenderness. As one of Rembrandt's pioneering etchings, this "small plate" showcases his inno...
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...