Artwork
Old Man Shading His Eyes with His Hand
Old Man Shading His Eyes with His Hand is an ink print by the Baroque artist Rembrandt van Rijn. It dates from 1639 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Old Man Shading His Eyes with His Hand is a small print executed by Rembrandt van Rijn around 1639. The work belongs to the artist’s early period and is catalogued as an etching combined with dry‑point, a format he frequently employed for rapid studies of facial expression.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts an elderly figure whose hand is lifted to shield his eyes, suggesting a reaction to bright light or a moment of squinting. The man’s deeply furrowed skin, tangled curls, and the gesture of protection convey a fleeting, observational study of age and human response.
Technique & Style
Rembrandt employed both etching and dry‑point, incising lines into a copper plate and then drawing directly with a needle to produce burr‑rich edges. The resulting marks are uneven and somewhat abrasive, giving the print a sketch‑like immediacy and a slightly blurred atmosphere that emphasizes the spontaneity of the study.
Context
During the late 1630s Rembrandt produced numerous figure studies that explored light, texture, and expression. This work fits within that investigative phase, where the artist used printmaking not only for finished compositions but also as a laboratory for testing tonal effects and gestural drawing.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, known mononymously as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and draughtsman.
