Peasant with his hands behind his back after 1631

This small etching, "Peasant with his hands behind his back," was made in 1633, probably by someone in Rembrandt’s circle. It’s essentially a drawing made with acid. A copper plate was coated with wax, then lines were scratched through the wax with a needle, exposing the metal. The plate was then submerged in acid, which bit into the exposed lines. The longer the acid bath, the deeper the lines. The wax was then removed, the plate inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, the plate and paper were run through a press, transferring the image. Look at the density of lines, from the lightest shading on the peasant’s face to the darkest marks of his coat and hat. The etcher used all the skills at their disposal to mimic the effects of light on form, typically achieved with brush and paint. The subject is roughly rendered, but with a keen sense of his physical presence. The print embodies the labor of its production and also visualizes the hard labor of peasant life.