Medea, or the Marriage of Jason and Creusa

Medea, or the Marriage of Jason and Creusa by Rembrandt van Rijn, dating to 1648, is a masterwork of seventeenth-century Dutch printmaking, capturing a moment of profound psychological drama. The piece was executed primarily using the etching technique, with Rijn adding significant touches of drypoint on laid paper. This combination allowed the artist to achieve both the precise linear details characteristic of etching and the rich, velvety shadows afforded by the drypoint burr, maximizing the emotional impact of the scene.

Created during the productive 1601 to 1650 period of the Dutch Golden Age, this print illustrates the classical tragedy involving the sorceress Medea and the betrayal of her husband, Jason, who plans to marry Creusa. Rijn, internationally celebrated for his skill in rendering human emotion and narrative intensity, focuses on Medea’s agonizing internal conflict. Her figure dominates the foreground, framed by the opulence of the wedding preparations, underscoring her isolation and rage. The dramatic lighting, a characteristic element of Rijn’s style, serves to intensify the tension, highlighting Medea’s face while leaving the remainder of the scene in deep shadow.

The complexity of the technique demonstrates Rijn’s masterful approach to graphic arts, treating the copper plate with the freedom and expression typically reserved for painting. As a key example of the historical prints produced by the artist, this work offers valuable insight into the cultural tastes and narrative traditions prevalent in the Netherlands during the mid-seventeenth century. This significant example of Medea, or the Marriage of Jason and Creusa resides within the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, providing the public access to this iconic imagery, which is often released for educational purposes and considered public domain.