Jan Lutma, Goldsmith

Jan Lutma, Goldsmith is a masterful print created by Rembrandt van Rijn Dutch, 1606-1669, in 1656. The piece showcases the artist's sophisticated command of graphic techniques, combining etching and drypoint executed in black ink on buff laid paper. This technical approach was fundamental to the Dutch master's production, allowing for rich tonal contrasts and deep, textured lines characteristic of his mature style, particularly the signature velvety blacks achieved through the use of drypoint.

The subject, Jan Lutma, was a highly esteemed goldsmith and silver dealer based in Amsterdam, representing the thriving merchant and artisan class of the 17th-century Netherlands. This portrait belongs to a significant series of etched portraits Rembrandt produced during the 1650s, capturing the likenesses of prominent intellectual and civic figures of the Dutch Golden Age. The careful depiction of Lutma’s tools resting on his workbench underscores his profession, a common feature in Rembrandt’s realist portraiture.

The work’s detailed craftsmanship demonstrates why Rembrandt’s output of prints remains highly celebrated. He employed the etching process to establish the fundamental lines and structure, then layered drypoint to achieve density and variation in shadow, enhancing the realism of Lutma's aged features. The subtle interplay of light and shadow defines the sitter and provides the psychological depth characteristic of the artist’s later period. This impression is classified within the Print collection and is housed at the Art Institute of Chicago.