Rembrandt’s Etchings: Masterpieces on Display at Drexel (through Feb.26)
Posted by Samantha Lazar on February 11, 2010
Most people think of Rembrandt van Rijn, the 17th-Century artist best known by just his first name, as a painter. Indeed, the Dutch artist was a masterful painter. But he’s also famous for his etchings, and is considered the best artist ever to try his hand at the medium. A special exhibit at Drexel’s Rincliffe Gallery is displaying 20 of the virtuoso’s best etchings.
Etchings are created by scratching an image into the surface of a wax-covered copper plate, immersing it in acid, and then inking the plate and its freshly engraved design in order to print it. (There’s a lot more explanation of the various processes that you can read when you check out the exhibit.) The themes of Rembrandt’s etchings, like those of his paintings, are widely varied. They include portraits, nudes, landscapes, and religious scenes. In fact, his most famous etching, “Christ Preaching” (aka “The Hundred-Guilder Print”) is familiar to anyone who’s taken an introductory art history course, and is the star of this show. It’s given pride of place at the entrance to the gallery, and its detail and intricacy is truly astounding. Other etchings you should make sure to take an extra close look at include “Man Wearing a High Cap,” “Beggar with a Stick,” and my personal favorite, “Grotesque Profile.”
The exhibit is in Drexel’s gallery space on the third floor of its main building at 32nd and Chestnut. If you’ve never been inside this building before, it’s worth the trip just to take in the architecture. The whole thing is decked out in marble, wrought iron, columns, and statues. The majestic building gave me an overall impression of a mix of Victorian, Baroque, and Greco-Roman art and architecture all rolled into one.
This show is truly an extraordinary opportunity to see some of the most famous artwork in the world. And because it’s only 20 etchings, it doesn’t take more than 20 minutes or so to take it all in. Oh, and did I mention it’s free? Don’t pass this up.
Rembrandt: Selected Etchings
Now through February 26th
Rincliffe Gallery
3rd Floor of Main Building
32nd and Chestnut Streets
Open M-F 8am – 8pm; Weekends 10am – 5pm
FREE
Related Destination: Drexel Univeristy »
Related Category: Culture
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