Identifier: rembrandthislife00mich (find matches)
Title: Rembrandt : his life, his work, and his time
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Michel, Emile, 1828-1909 Wedmore, Frederick, Sir, 1844-1921
Subjects: Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1606-1669
Publisher: London : Heinemann New York : Scribner
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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egories. He did his best, however,to satisfy his friend. The first states of the plate were in his darkmanner, but these he worked over and lightened considerably forthe later impressions, endeavouring to follow Menassehs text asclosely as possible, and bring out its full significance. In spite of hisefforts, however, the result was sufficiently fantastic and incom-prehensible. The plates were apparently not to the publisherstaste, for shortly after Menassehs death he caused fresh ones tobe executed, considerably modifying the composition of Rembrandtsillustrations, which were not much improved in the process. Theyappeared only in the earlier copies of the book. We are unable to concur with Mr. Middleton-Wake in hisclassification of the sketch of St. Peter (B. 95), which he includesamong the etchings of 1655. Judging by the execution, we agree with 1 This plate is signed and date J twice over, Rembrandt f. 1654. 2 This book was pubUshed at Amsterdam, and dated .5415 (1655 of our era).
Text Appearing After Image:
(ill-/ -li-illi a Jh-ooni (about i(^^4). (llFKMI IA(;l .) ETCHINGS OF THIS PERIOD 311 Mr. von Seidlitz that it belongs to a much earlier period, probablyabout 1630. Its analogies with such youthful works as the Flight intoEgypt (B. 54), the Old Man Studying (B. 149), the Todit Blind(B. 153), and the Beggar standing, (B. 162) are very striking. Theslight but attractive little plate, The Sport of Kolef or Golf (B. 125), is,however, a work of 1654. One of the players is in the act of strikingthe ball; two others are talking together, while a fourth personage,apparently lost in thought, reclines on a bench in the foreground.The Abrahani s Sacrifice (B. 35) of the following year is equally firmin execution, while the large Ecce Homo (B. 76) of the same date,though not less summary in treatment, is even more masterly. Thefigures, with the exception perhaps of some which are introducedmerely as a relief to the shadows of the architectural background, areetched with a firm, nervous stroke, an

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