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 is a remarkable 1826 print by Christian Josi (Dutch, died 1828) after the foundational Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606-1669). This piece is one of many created for Josi’s ambitious publication, which sought to document and replicate the celebrated drawings of major artists originating from the Netherlands and Flanders. Created nearly 160 years after Rembrandt’s working life, this etching exemplifies the enduring reverence for seventeenth-century genius throughout the ensuing centuries and underscores the vital role of reproductive prints in art historical study.

Josi employed a highly sophisticated and complex array of techniques to achieve the visual effect and rich tonality of Rembrandt’s original drawing. The print utilizes soft ground etching, hard ground etching, aquatint, and roulette, demonstrating a mastery of varied intaglio processes. Furthermore, the final image was pulled from two separate plates, resulting in a unique combination of red-brown and black ink layered upon white laid paper. This technical complexity distinguishes Josi's prints from standard reproductions of the era, showcasing his commitment to simulating the texture and atmosphere of the original drawing’s surface.

The faithful rendition of this solemn figure highlights Josi’s ability to capture the characteristic mood and subtle lighting associated with the Golden Age. As a key document in the history of art appropriation and preservation, this work remains an important piece for understanding both the early modern tradition and the nineteenth-century approach to reproducing master drawings. This impressive example of reproductive printmaking is preserved in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, making the study of works like Portrait of a Man in an Armchair accessible to students and researchers globally, often now available through public domain archives.