Lieven Willemsz. van Coppenol, writing master: the larger plate

The influential portrait Lieven Willemsz. van Coppenol, writing master: the larger plate was created by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1658. This powerful print captures the celebrated Amsterdam calligrapher, Lieven van Coppenol, at the height of his career. Coppenol, a prominent cultural figure whose skilled hand represented the enduring power of the written word in the Dutch Golden Age, was a significant subject for Rijn.

Executed on paper, the complexity of this image exemplifies Rijn’s late mastery of printmaking. Although the medium is classified generally as a print, the technical brilliance suggests the complex use of drypoint and etching. These techniques allowed the artist to achieve rich, velvety blacks and highly textured surfaces, lending great psychological depth to the sitter. The subtle interplay of shadow and focused light emphasizes the intensity and gravity of the writing master's professional focus. This “larger plate” version distinguishes it from an earlier, smaller portrait Rijn had produced of the same subject, demonstrating the value the artist placed on Van Coppenol as an important model.

Created during a period of intense artistic activity for Rijn, this print remains one of his most enduring and technically impressive portrait studies from the 1650s. The detail captured in Coppenol’s face and posture provides invaluable insight into the professional lives of intellectual figures during the era. This historically significant work is part of the extensive collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. As an essential piece of 17th-century Dutch art, high-quality images of Rijn’s masterwork are frequently made available for educational use in the public domain.