The Three Crosses

Rembrandt married Saskia in 1634, soon after moving from his birthplace Leiden to Amsterdam, where he gained a reputation as a portraitist and history painter. His graphic work played an important part in his rise to international fame, as it was reproducible and so became more widely known than his paintings or drawings. Print collectors of the time appreciated Rembrandt’s treatment of light and shade, and his fluid handling of line. Of the many scores of sheets in the museum’s print room, The Three Crosses of 1653-1655 is arguably the most impressive and certainly the most experimental. The image was not etched but scratched into the copper plate with a needle. The lines are angular and expressive. Here and there, a figure can be glimpsed in the dark shadows. Only Christ on the Cross-is illuminated. The details are less important than the overall effect, which is simply breathtaking.