Boerderij en stallen met een tekenaar

Boerderij en stallen met een tekenaar by Rembrandt van Rijn, dated 1641, is a masterful example of the artist’s extensive output in the print medium. Executed on paper, this work showcases Rijn's characteristic skill in etching during the height of the Dutch Golden Age. This period saw printmaking flourish, enabling artists to widely distribute detailed depictions of everyday life and the surrounding landscape, a trend Rijn frequently leveraged.

The composition captures a straightforward rural scene: a farmhouse and associated stables, rendered with great atmospheric depth. The inclusion of a draftsman positioned near the structures highlights the 17th-century artistic focus on observational drawing and plein air sketching. This figure, often interpreted as a self-reference, underscores the artist's role in diligently recording the mundane details of the Dutch countryside. Rijn employs a sensitive application of line and subtle tonal shifts to define the rough textures of the buildings and establish the interplay of light and shadow across the scene.

As one of the many critical prints produced by Rijn, this piece demonstrates his ability to imbue common structures and activities with profound visual interest. The surviving impression of this work currently resides in the esteemed collection of the Rijksmuseum, serving as a key reference point for studying Dutch prints from the period. Like many works by this master, high-resolution digital reproductions of such prints are often made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring Rijn’s graphic legacy remains accessible to scholars and enthusiasts worldwide.