Old Man in Meditation, Leaning on a Book
1645
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This etching shows an old man leaning on a book. His face is lit softly by a single light source. His hands and book are detailed while his robe blends into the dark background. Rembrandt used drypoint here. He scratched lines into the metal plate to make rich, velvety shadows. The print feels quiet but full of thought. Try looking up Rembrandt’s other etchings to see how he worked with light and shadow.
