Notes

It is rare to find this complete pair. The plates were lost at an early stage. There are no late impressions. In Nowell-Usticke both etchings have been qualified with an ‘RR’, which signifies as ‘very sarce’.

This is an illustration showing two peasants discussing the weather. Rembrandt has put much character into both of them, who seem to stand along the edge of frozen water. It is amusing that they conduct their conversation standing back to back. Clearly, the left figure appears to feel the cold, whereas the man on the right does not seem to be affected by the sometimes vicious Dutch winters.

For this scene Rembrandt drew inspiration from the etchings of another, older, artist. In 1542 the German artist Sebald Beham (1500-1550) made two prints in which the same conversation takes place. A big difference between the prints by Sebald Beham and the etchings by Rembrandt, is the composition. The former shows the two peasants facing one another, whereas in the latter they are standing back to back.

Fig. On the left: Sebald Beham, A peasant calling out: ‘Es ist kalt weter’, 1542. The Rembrandt House Museum, Amsterdam. On the right: Sebald Beham, A peasant, replying: ‘Das schadet nit’, 1542. 4,5 x 3 cm. The Rembrandt House Museum, Amsterdam.