Christ Crucified between the Two Thieves: "The Three Crosses"

Christ Crucified between the Two Thieves: "The Three Crosses" by Rembrandt van Rijn Dutch, 1606-1669, is recognized as one of the most powerful and technically demanding prints created during the Dutch Golden Age. Executed in 1653, the image utilizes the intricate graphic techniques of drypoint and burin on paper. Rembrandt employed the drypoint needle to scratch directly into the copper plate, achieving deep, velvety burr lines, combined with the burin for sharper detail. This careful handling of the medium allowed the artist to manipulate light and shadow (chiaroscuro) with an intensity usually reserved for his oil paintings, heightening the emotional drama of the scene.

The subject depicts the moment of Christ’s death on Golgotha, surrounded by the chaos of soldiers, mourners, and onlookers. Unlike earlier Renaissance interpretations, Rembrandt focuses on the palpable human suffering and the contrast between faith and cynicism. Figures, including the centurion who recognizes Christ’s divinity and the grieving Virgin Mary, are dynamically illuminated against the deep darkness. The setting reflects the turbulent atmosphere of the 17th-century Netherlands, where a robust market for prints allowed complex religious and moral narratives to reach a wide audience.

Rembrandt famously revised this composition over time, producing five distinct states. Later impressions, particularly the fourth and fifth states, show the artist significantly altering the composition by darkening the skies and eliminating surrounding figures to enhance the sense of stark isolation and overwhelming gloom. This exceptional example of graphic art resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a critical example of Dutch printmaking mastery. Impressions of this influential piece are widely available in public domain art collections globally.