Many Rembrant etchings were printed after his death, say experts

Many of the Rembrandt etchings in public collections around the world were not printed by the master or in his studio but by others after his death, according to art experts Erik Hinterding and Jaco Rutgers.


Hinterding and Rutgers have been researching Rembrandt’s etchings for years and have studied some 18,000 prints, RTL news reported on Tuesday. They estimate almost half were made after his death.
Later prints can be identified because of wear and tear and repairs to the copper plate which were not contemporary to Rembrandt. Paper analysis can also help date the etchings.
The researchers say they expect their findings to change the market for Rembrandt etchings and make prints from the master’s own hand more valuable.
A new exhibition at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum focuses on 36 etchings and their origins. The museum has copies of 314 of the 315 known Rembrandt etchings in its collection.

Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation