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Saint Francis beneath a Tree, Praying

1657
Not on view
Rembrandt worked on this print in two campaigns in the same year. He began the print in drypoint, delineating only the tree, the saint, the crucifix, and the monk in the background on the right. He even signed the print at that point—his signature is still visible underneath the final larger and darker signature. The second state, shown here, is more finished, with details such as the tower in the background, foliage in the lower left, and the area between Saint Francis and the tree trunk added in etching. Rembrandt played with degrees of finish—while the saint's features are finely detailed, the figure of the second monk on the right is merely suggested with a series of staccato outlines.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Saint Francis beneath a Tree, Praying
  • Artist: Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) (Dutch, Leiden 1606–1669 Amsterdam)
  • Date: 1657
  • Medium: Drypoint and etching, some plate tone; second state of two states
  • Dimensions: plate: 7 1/8 x 9 5/8 in. (18.1 x 24.5 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Gift of Felix M. Warburg and his family, 1941
  • Object Number: 41.1.70
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

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Abraham Casting out Hagar and Ishmael, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) Dutch, Etching with touches of drypoint
Abraham Casting out Hagar and Ishmael
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1637
St. Jerome Reading, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) Dutch, Etching
St. Jerome Reading
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1634
Return of the Prodigal Son, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) Dutch, Etching, pen and ink
Return of the Prodigal Son
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1620–69
St. Jerome in Prayer, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) Dutch, Etching
St. Jerome in Prayer
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1635
Portrait of Lieven Willemsz van Coppenol, Writing Master (the larger plate), Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) Dutch, Etching and drypoint; fourth state
Portrait of Lieven Willemsz van Coppenol, Writing Master (the larger plate)
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1658

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