Portrait of a Man in an Armchair, from Collection d'imitations de Dessins d'après les Principaux Maîtres Hollandais et Flamands

Portrait of a Man in an Armchair, from Collection d'imitations de Dessins d'après les Principaux Maîtres Hollandais et Flamands, created in 1826 by Christian Josi (Dutch, died 1828) after the original by Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606-1669), is a technically complex reproductive print. The work meticulously simulates the depth and atmosphere of the 17th-century master's style using a combination of soft ground etching, hard ground etching, aquatint, and roulette. To achieve tonal richness and mimic the appearance of an aged drawing, the composition was printed from two separate plates utilizing red-brown and black inks on ivory laid paper.

This specific piece derives from Josi’s broader project to systematically reproduce drawings by the great Dutch and Flemish masters, catering to the strong 19th-century market for accessible copies of revered Golden Age art. The dedication Josi showed in replicating Rembrandt’s subtle lighting and textual variation highlights the enduring legacy of the prolific artist throughout the Netherlands and Europe. The resulting print functions not merely as a copy but as a distinct object demonstrating contemporary European printmaking mastery.

The skillful application of varied print techniques, particularly the aquatint, allows Josi to recreate the chiaroscuro effect central to Rembrandt’s work. The Collection d'imitations was crucial in preserving and disseminating knowledge of celebrated but often inaccessible original drawings. As a key example of historical reproductive prints, this work is maintained within the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, illustrating the evolution of art history documentation and printmaking technologies in the public domain.