The entombment 1654

Rembrandt van Rijn made this print of The Entombment using etching, a method that democratized image production in the 17th century. In etching, a metal plate is coated with wax, and the artist draws through this layer to expose the metal. Immersing the plate in acid bites away at the exposed lines, which when inked, can then be printed onto paper. What is so striking about Rembrandt's prints is the variety of effects he coaxes from the medium, the velvety darks and luminous highlights. The social context of printmaking is also important. Unlike painting, which served the elite, prints could be widely disseminated and sold at relatively low cost. Rembrandt was a canny operator in this market. The dense network of lines, the very labor-intensive process, allowed him to address a broad audience with images that, while religious in subject, also speak to universal human experiences. It blurs the lines between the unique masterpiece and the multiple, between art and craft.