The Descent from the Cross: Second Plate
- Medium
- Etching and burin on ivory laid paper
- Dimensions
- Image: 51.2 × 40.5 cm (20 3/16 × 16 in.); Sheet trimmed within platemark: 52 × 40.5 cm (20 1/2 × 16 in.)
- Genre
- etching
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Tags
inkprintlaid paperprints and drawingetchingpaperpaper (fiber product)burin
About
Rays of heavenly light pierce the darkness that is said to have descended when Jesus died, harshly illuminating his followers as they lower his body from the cross. Rembrandt depicts Jesus’s corpse with unprecedented realism, emphasizing its weight and humanity. Also unconventional was Rembrandt’s choice to lend his features to the figure standing on the ladder. This imposing print was based on a painting Rembrandt executed for the prestigious patron Prince Frederick Henry of Orange—perhaps as a way to celebrate that milestone in his career.
