The Adoration of the Shepherds: Nocturne

Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1657

In the adjacent print, Rembrandt had some light shine around Joseph. However, the artist wanted to further enhance the stable’s nocturnal atmosphere. To achieve this, he added lines on the copper plate to intensify the darkness of the scene. Such modified prints are called states. Here, the shadow around Joseph has been reinforced, leaving only his book and the faces of Mary and Jesus softly illuminated.

  • Artwork typeprint
  • Object numberRP-P-1961-1006
  • Dimensionsheight 150 mm x width 198 mm
  • Physical characteristicsets, droge naald en burijn, met plaattoon