Rembrandt c. 18th century

Curator: This is Carl Ernst Christoph Hess's "Rembrandt", a portrait print held in the Harvard Art Museums. What strikes you first about it? Editor: The texture! Look at the hat and the fur collar—the etching technique really gives them a tactile quality. It is quite a somber mood, don't you think? Curator: Hess was part of a larger movement to popularize Old Master paintings through printmaking. This image would have been accessible to a much wider audience than an original Rembrandt. Editor: Note how the shading around the face guides our eyes directly to the artist's gaze. The light and shadow at play here create a compelling sense of depth. Curator: And of course, Rembrandt himself was deeply interested in printmaking and self-portraiture. Hess's work is both a portrait and a statement on artistic legacy. Editor: A masterful copy that invites us to consider the essence of Rembrandt's artistry. Curator: Exactly, and the democratization of art through printmaking.