The Rabbi
1778
Medium
Mezzotint on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Image: 45.7 × 35.4 cm (18 × 13 15/16 in.); Plate: 50.8 × 35.5 cm (20 × 14 in.); Sheet: 55.3 × 39.5 cm (21 13/16 × 15 9/16 in.)
Classification
mezzotint
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
139060
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Like his contemporaries, William Pether used mezzotint to disseminate important master paintings. In this case, he copied Rembrandt van Rijn’s distinctively posed, stoic rabbi. Mezzotint was an ideal medium with which to reproduce Rembrandt’s composition, with its dramatic, Baroque use of chiaroscuro. Not only does mezzotint retain these qualities, but its rich undertones also add to the spotlighted effects. With a touch of theatricality, the portrait focuses on his craggy features. The rabbi is...