Pieter Haaringh (Young Haaringh)

Pieter Haaringh (Young Haaringh) is an essential print created by the Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) in 1655. This sensitive portrait exemplifies the artist’s mature mastery of intaglio techniques, skillfully combining traditional etching with the newer processes of drypoint and burin on paper. Created during the height of the Dutch Golden Age, the piece reflects the era's pervasive interest in psychological depth and individual achievement in portraiture. Rembrandt utilized the drypoint needle extensively here, employing the resulting burr to achieve rich, velvety blacks and soft transitions. This complex, layered approach gave the finished print a remarkable painterly quality that elevated the medium beyond simple reproduction.

The subject, Pieter Haaringh, was the son of a prominent Amsterdam auctioneer who had close dealings with the artist during this period. Though Haaringh was not a conventional figure of power, Rembrandt rendered the young man with characteristic gravity and introspection. The subject’s intense, focused gaze, framed by dramatic chiaroscuro achieved through the deep etching, demonstrates the unparalleled ability of Rembrandt to capture the internal life of his sitters, distinguishing him among his contemporaries in the Netherlands. This specific print is housed within the esteemed collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, offering a prime example of the master’s graphic output. The existence of multiple impressions of his key works, classified as prints, ensures that images such as Pieter Haaringh (Young Haaringh) are often made available through the public domain for research and study, securing Rembrandt's legacy.