Faust (The Scholar in His Study) by Rembrandt van Rijn

Faust (The Scholar in His Study) c. 1652

print, etching, drypoint

pencil drawn

amateur sketch

light pencil work

print

etching

pencil sketch

charcoal drawing

charcoal art

pencil drawing

pen-ink sketch

pencil work

drypoint

fantasy sketch

Rembrandt van Rijn’s etching, "Faust (The Scholar in His Study)," depicts the titular scholar surrounded by books and instruments in his study. The work, created around 1652, is a powerful example of Rembrandt's mastery of light and shadow, known as chiaroscuro, which creates a dramatic effect. Faust, the subject of the etching, gazes out of the window as a bright light shines through a grid, representing the divine presence he encounters in his research. The etching is both a technical and thematic masterpiece, showcasing Rembrandt's skill in capturing the essence of the story while highlighting the intellectual and spiritual struggle that Faust faces.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

⋮

The close connection of Vermeer's Astronomer to Rembrandt's famous etching Faust has been widely recognized. Vermeer clearly drew inspiration from Rembrandt's work, which shows a scholar alone in his shadowy library, standing-not sitting-at his desk, absorbed in contemplation, his face and thoughts illuminated by the diffused light from a stained glass window. The desk of Vermeer's young scholar is arrayed much like the work surface in the print, with a table carpet, open books, and a prominent celestial globe. In Rembrandt's etching, a mystical apparition dominates the scene: a luminous medallion, encoded with letters, and a pair of hands, one of which points to a puzzling oval disk, sometimes identified as a mirror, sometimes as an astrolabe. This enigmatic scholar has been variously interpreted as an alchemist or the literary character Dr. Faustus, who surrendered his soul to the devil for unlimited knowledge. Vermeer brings the scene down to Earth in his painting, yet he captured some of the evocative qualities of Rembrandt's work to enliven the interior world of a scholar in search of esoteric knowledge.