The Artist's Son, Titus (copy)
Original title: The Artist's Son, Titus (copy)
kurzbeschreibung
Around 1656, Rembrandt van Rijn etched a portrait of his son Titus; the present sheet is a print from a copy whose original plate is lost. At 9.8 by 7.3 cm, the format stays small. It shows a young man in a hat and buttoned jacket standing against a bare background.
Description
A young man in a hat and a jacket with buttons fills the small sheet. The background remains sparse, making the figure stand out all the more. Everything is drawn with delicate strokes and lines in the traditional manner. The print is toned in a single color, in shades of gray, as the etching process dictates. Light falls evenly across the surface, without harsh shadows or strong contrasts.
Context
Around 1656, Rembrandt made several etchings portraying his son Titus, then about fifteen years old. The present example probably comes from a later workshop or pupil, since the original plate has not survived. Prints of this kind were produced in editions and were widely collected in the seventeenth century. Small formats appealed to collectors because they were affordable and easy to store.
Impact
The delicate linework and the calm, even light give the sheet an intimate, personal quality. Because the sitter looks directly at the viewer, a sense of closeness arises. The restriction to gray values lends the print a graphic clarity that seems independent of any era.
Technique
Etching was used, an intaglio process: the drawing is scratched into an acid-resistant layer on a copper plate, the plate is then etched, inked, and pulled on paper. Different etching times and the printing method produce the delicate strokes and the gradations of gray.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)