Artwork
Lieven Willemsz van Coppenol: the Larger Plate
Lieven Willemsz van Coppenol: the Larger Plate is an ink print by the Baroque artist Rembrandt. It dates from 1658 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1658, the work known as *Lieven Willemsz van Coppenol: the Larger Plate* is a print by Rembrandt van Rijn. Executed with a combination of etching, drypoint, and burin, the image presents a half‑length portrait of a seated man. The composition is dominated by a dark background that isolates the figure, allowing the intricate rendering of his face to become the focal point.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, identified as Lieven Willemsz van Coppenol, appears from the chest upward, dressed in a dark jacket, white collar, and a matching hat. His expression is neutral, eyes gently lowered, giving an impression of quiet contemplation. The portrait’s restrained demeanor and direct gaze suggest a personal, perhaps introspective, representation rather than an allegorical or narrative scene.
Technique & Style
Rembrandt employed a layered approach, beginning with traditional etching lines and enriching them through drypoint’s burr‑rich strokes and burin incisions.
Rembrandt employed a layered approach, beginning with traditional etching lines and enriching them through drypoint’s burr‑rich strokes and burin incisions. This mix yields a range of tonal values, from delicate, feather‑like lines that define facial wrinkles to deeper, velvety shadows that model the clothing. The resulting texture and depth exemplify the master’s late‑period skill in manipulating line and tone to achieve a lifelike presence.
History & Provenance
The print was produced in the final decade of Rembrandt’s career, a period marked by financial difficulty and a turn toward intimate portraiture. While the original plate has survived, the larger version of this portrait is known from surviving impressions held in several European collections. Documentation traces its ownership through 18th‑century Dutch collectors to present‑day museum holdings.
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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.
