The Three Crosses, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1653
drypoint, printed with surface tone on vellum, h 364mm × w 443mm More details
Christ hangs on the cross between two thieves, surrounded by apostles, his mother, disciples, and soldiers. Rembrandt executed the scene entirely in drypoint, which had (almost) never before been done. This technique involves scratching directly in a copper plate with an etching needle, which lends the lines a burred, velvety quality. This enormous print is, moreover, printed on costly vellum.
