Bartsch 70; Seidlitz 70; Hind 294; Nowell-Usticke 70, third state (of five); White-Boon 70, third state (of three)

‘The New Hollstein’, 2013, no. 302, fourth state (of V), Christ’s nose redrawn into one line, connected by a new line to his left eyebrow.

Plate in existence, Worcester Art Museum, USA. With Nowell-Usticke (1967): C2

Notes

While traveling from Judea to Galilee, Christ and the Apostles broke their journey in Samaria, pausing to rest by Jacob’s well. While Jesus was waiting alone, a Samarian woman came to fetch water and in the course of their dialogue, Jesus revealed to her as the Messiah. (John 4:5-42). In 1634, Rembrandt made another etching of the same subject (White-Boon 71), but this totally different in style and composition. Between 1655 and 1659 Rembrandt used this story as the basis for three paintings, a drawing and this etching. All are drawn in his late ‘pictorial’ style, with its bold handling and glowing treatment of light and shadow. In this harmonious composition the landscape in particular is reminiscent of Venetian examples.