Four Illustrations to a Spanish Book

Rembrandt van Rijn (mentioned on object), 1655

Menasseh ben Israel, an acquaintance of Rembrandt, wrote the little book Piedra Gloriosa in 1655. He argued that the stone, the principal motif in each of these four stories from the Old Testament, symbolized the Messiah. He considered the ‘glorious stone’ to be proof of the second coming of Christ. Rembrandt made four book illustrations for this text. Copies of this book with the etchings still intact are very rare.

  • Artwork typeprint
  • Object numberRP-P-OB-66
  • Dimensionsheight 277 mm x width 158 mm
  • Physical characteristicsets, droge naald en burijn, met plaattoon

Identification

  • Title(s)

    • Four illustrations to Menasseh Ben Israel's 'Piedra Gloriosa'
    • Four Illustrations to a Spanish Book
    • Daniel's vision of the four beasts
    • Jacob's ladder
    • David and Goliath
    • The image seen by Nebuchadnezzar
  • Object type

  • Object number

    RP-P-OB-66

  • Inscriptions / marks

    • collector's mark: Lugt 240
    • signature and date: ‘Rembrandt f 1655’
  • Catalogue reference

    • New Hollstein Dutch and Flemish (Rembrandt text) 288-3(3)
    • Bartsch 36-3(3), plaat (A-2, B-2, C-2, D-2)
    • Hollstein Dutch 36-3(3), plaat (A-2, B-2, C-2, D-2)

Creation

  • Creation

    • printmaker: Rembrandt van Rijn (mentioned on object)
    • after design by Rembrandt van Rijn
  • Dating

    1655

  • Search further with


Material and technique

  • Physical description

    ets, droge naald en burijn, met plaattoon

  • Dimensions

    height 277 mm x width 158 mm


This work is about

  • Subject


Acquisition and rights


Documentation


Persistent URL