Best known as a painter, Rembrandt made significant contributions to printmaking, producing almost 300 prints in his career, and is considered a great master of print.
As a printmaker, Rembrandt repeatedly experimented with the etching, tonal effects, and the dramatic portrayal of his subjects. In order to achieve the results he desired, he often combined etching with drypoint and engraving, but on rare occasions used drypoint independently. Rembrandt also experimented with a variety of papers, allowing the texture and tone to play a role in the finished work. If Rembrandt felt unhappy with his works he was known to analyse his plate after each print and change or add parts of it to give variety.
Each of Rembrandt’s etchings are so full of tone and fine detail it’s amazing, each individual marking or line ties in with another out of thousands of little marks showing how much great concentration and patience was collected to make these prints. These prints are inspiring me to try and add more detail into my own furniture prints and pay much more attention to each small detail as it will add up into something beautiful.
