Description
Offered here is a compelling later impression of one of Rembrandt’s most intimate biblical subjects, Christ Between His Parents, Returning from the Temple. Executed originally in 1654, the composition captures the youthful Christ walking between Mary and Joseph following the episode in Jerusalem, rendered with remarkable psychological nuance and economy of line.
This impression was printed in the early nineteenth century from Rembrandt’s original copperplate and is accompanied by a historical letter attesting to its authenticity and dating. The letter states in part: “In my opinion and to the best of my knowledge, the etching presented to me by Antonio’s Collection and entitled Rembrandt E van RIJM is an authentic Rembrandt etching made from the plates owned by the Museum of Amsterdam.
It is probably an etching third state and would date approximately 1820.” The reference to plates held by the Rijksmuseum situates this impression within the long tradition of posthumous printings drawn from Rembrandt’s original matrices—objects that have been preserved, studied, and occasionally re-inked for carefully supervised editions. With its rich burr, velvety shadows, and expressive linear handling, this impression remains faithful to the master’s conception while offering collectors the opportunity to acquire an authentic Rembrandt etching from a later, historically significant printing.
Like many of Rembrandt’s etched works, Christ Between His Parents, Returning from the Temple exists in several states, meaning the copperplate was altered over time as the artist reworked details, added lines, or strengthened passages of shadow.
First State (1654)
The earliest impressions are prized for their freshness and painterly light effects, with delicate burr and subtle modeling in the figures’ garments and faces. These are rare and typically reside in museum collections.
Subsequent States
Later states reflect adjustments to shading, contours, and background architecture—often deepening contrasts or clarifying forms as Rembrandt refined the narrative focus of the scene.
Third State (circa 1820)
By the early nineteenth century, impressions were occasionally pulled from the preserved original plates, producing prints that retain the fully developed image while often showing slightly firmer lines and less burr than seventeenth-century impressions. Such examples are historically important, documenting the continued reverence for Rembrandt’s graphic work and the custodial role of European institutions in safeguarding his plates.
The accompanying letter provides valuable documentary support, linking this impression to early twentieth-century scholarship and reinforcing its status as an authentic pull from Rembrandt’s plate. Works of this type—posthumous yet original impressions—have long been collected for their aesthetic power and their place in the transmission of Old Master printmaking across centuries.
The etching is documented on page 69 of the book, The Complete Etchings of Rembrandt, by Bruce and Seena Harris, 1970. This large format coffee table book will be included with the sale of the print. The image size is 5.5″ w x 3.5″ h.
