Artwork
Jan Asselijn
Jan Asselijn is an ink print by the Baroque artist Rembrandt. It dates from 1647 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1647, this print combines etching, drypoint, and burin work, techniques frequently employed by Rembrandt van Rijn.
Created around 1647, this print combines etching, drypoint, and burin work, techniques frequently employed by Rembrandt van Rijn. The image centers on a solitary figure wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a loosely draped, fur‑trimmed robe, seated at a table. The composition is rendered in fine, intersecting lines that give the scene a subdued, three‑dimensional quality characteristic of mid‑seventeenth‑century Dutch printmaking.
Subject & Meaning
The lone man, rendered with a calm expression and a slight sideways gaze, appears contemplative, perhaps engaged in a private moment of thought. The barely sketched architectural element behind him suggests an interior space without distracting from the figure’s presence, emphasizing the introspective atmosphere rather than a narrative scene.
Technique & Style
Rembrandt employed a combination of etched lines, drypoint burrs, and burin‑cut incisions to achieve varied tonal effects. Sharp, controlled lines define the facial features and clothing, while softer, stippled shading from the drypoint creates depth in the folds of the robe and the background. This layered approach reflects the artist’s mastery of print techniques to model volume and atmosphere.
History & Provenance
Attributed to Rembrandt, the work dates to the late 1640s, a period when the master was refining his printmaking practice. Though specific ownership records are scarce, the piece is catalogued among Rembrandt’s signed prints and has been referenced in scholarly inventories of his oeuvre, confirming its authenticity and place within his body of work.
Artist & collection
Artist
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), known mononymously as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and draughtsman.
