Final Published Work: Head of Menem Ben Israel

The work titled Final Published Work: Head of Menem Ben Israel by After Rembrandt van Rijn Dutch, 1606-1669, is a compelling drawing executed sometime between 1740 and 1860. Classified as a drawing and originating from the Netherlands, this piece is a study or copy based on an original composition by the great Dutch master, Rembrandt. The subject, Menem Ben Israel, was a prominent Jewish scholar, printer, and publisher known personally to Rembrandt, and this likeness likely derives from a known original painting or print. This subsequent work reflects the enduring popularity and influence of the artist's portraiture well into the 18th and 19th centuries.

The technical execution of this drawing showcases a sophisticated approach to rendering texture and shadow. The piece utilizes charcoal, expertly applied with stumping to create soft transitions and depth. Highlights, particularly around the face or costume, are achieved using subtle traces of white chalk, contrasting effectively against the blue laid paper on which the image was originally drawn. This primary sheet was subsequently laid down on a cream laid paper support. The powerful use of charcoal and heavy shadow mimics the dramatic chiaroscuro often employed by Rembrandt in his original studies, maintaining the stylistic hallmarks of the 17th-century Golden Age in the Netherlands.

Though created long after the master’s death in 1669, this head study demonstrates the high value placed on copies of Rembrandt’s compositions by later generations of collectors and artists. Often, reproductions like this drawing served as instructional tools or as inspiration for subsequent etchings and prints. Today, the work is held within the distinguished collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a valuable record of the ongoing engagement with the celebrated Dutch artist's compositions, many of which now exist in the public domain.