Jupiter and Antiope: The Larger Plate

Jupiter and Antiope: The Larger Plate is a highly refined print created by Rembrandt van Rijn Dutch, 1606-1669, in 1659. Executed primarily using a blend of etching, drypoint, and burin on off-white laid paper, this work showcases the artist’s innovative approach to intaglio printmaking in his later years. The technique blends the fine lines of etching with the rich, velvety burr characteristic of drypoint, allowing Rembrandt to achieve profound contrasts of light and shadow, defining form purely through tonal variation.

The mythological subject draws from classical sources, depicting the moment Jupiter, disguised either as a satyr or a hunter, approaches the sleeping nymph Antiope. Rembrandt’s composition emphasizes the intimacy and psychological tension of the scene, utilizing darkness and intense shadow, a characteristic feature of the master's late-period graphic output. The identification as the "Larger Plate" distinguishes this detailed rendering from an earlier, smaller plate the artist had etched of the same subject years prior.

Rembrandt was actively engaged with printmaking throughout his career, profoundly influencing the artistic tradition in the Netherlands during the Dutch Golden Age. This late work demonstrates the artist’s masterful control over drypoint, utilizing the rich, textural quality of the ink to define the surrounding landscape and heighten the dramatic atmosphere. This superb impression of the print is held within the esteemed permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a critical example of 17th-century Dutch graphic arts. Like many foundational works by this master, high-quality reproductions of these historical prints are now widely accessible through public domain collections.