The Omval 1645

"The Omval" is an etching made by Rembrandt van Rijn. Etching, in its essence, is a democratic medium, more closely aligned with the print shop than the sculptor’s studio. Here, Rembrandt used a metal plate, likely copper, coated with a waxy ground, to then draw his composition with a fine needle, exposing the metal. The plate was then submerged in acid, which bit into the exposed lines, creating grooves that would hold ink. What is fascinating is the way Rembrandt coaxes such a range of tonality and depth from the etched line. See how the density of marks conjures the shadowed bulk of the tree, and the distant light on the water. The beauty here is not just in the image, but in Rembrandt’s mastery of a repeatable process, a process that democratized art making, allowing images to circulate and be accessible to a wider audience. In doing so, Rembrandt blurred the lines between the unique artwork and the multiple, between high art and craft.