Old Man Shading His Eyes with His Hand
c. 1639
Medium
etching and drypoint on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 13.8 x 11.4 cm (5 7/16 x 4 1/2 in.) sheet: 13.9 x 11.6 cm (5 1/2 x 4 9/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
New Century Fund
Accession Number
1998.25.1
Art Historical Context
In the heart of the Dutch Golden Age, Rembrandt van R crafted *Old Man Shading His with His Hand* around 1639, a masterful etching and drypoint laid paper measuring just 13.8 x 11.4 cm. This intimate print captures a moment of quiet intensity: an elderly figure shielding his eyes, evoking vulnerability and wisdom. Rembrandt, a Baroque genius renowned for his psychological depth and dramatic lighting, often explored human character through such close-up studies, blending portraiture with everyday pathos. The technique shines here—etching's precise acid-etched lines provide clarity, while drypo...
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...