Artwork
The Artist's Mother Seated at a Table, Looking Right
The Artist's Mother Seated at a Table, Looking Right is an ink print by the Baroque artist Rembrandt. It dates from 1631 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Rembrandt van Rijn produced an etching around 1631 that portrays a seated woman, identified as his mother. She occupies a modest space before a table, her gaze directed to the right. The composition balances a light background with her dark attire, creating a clear tonal contrast.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is rendered with careful attention to age, her face marked by wrinkles and a solemn expression. Hands are folded together in front of her, suggesting a contemplative or pious mood. The work conveys a quiet, introspective atmosphere rather than overt narrative.
Technique & Style
Executed as an etching, the piece showcases Rembrandt’s skill in line work and tonal modulation. Fine incisions define the woman's facial features and clothing folds, while broader washes produce the luminous background. The contrast between dark garments and the lighter plane exemplifies his early mastery of chiaroscuro in printmaking.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1631, the etching belongs to the period when Rembrandt was establishing his reputation in Amsterdam. It has been catalogued among his early portrait prints and is held in several public collections, reflecting its continued scholarly interest as a personal and technical study.
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.
The Artist's Mother Seated at a Table, Looking Right
The Artist's Mother Seated at a Table, Looking Right: Three Quarter Length
The Artist's Mother Seated, in an Oriental Headdress
The Artist's Mother Seated, in an Oriental Headdress
The Artist's Mother with Her Hand on Her Chest
The Artist's Mother, Head and Bust
The Artist's Mother with Her Hand on Her Chest
The Artist's Mother in a Cloth Headdress, Looking Down