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

The print Portrait of a Man in an Armchair, from Collection d'imitations de Dessins d'après les Principaux Maîtres Hollandais et Flamands was executed in 1826 by Christian Josi, working directly after a masterwork by Rembrandt van Rijn. This sophisticated piece is a technical achievement, combining soft ground etching, hard ground etching, aquatint, and roulette. The complex image required printing from two separate plates, meticulously registered to achieve a striking depth of color, utilizing both red-brown and black inks upon white laid paper.

Josi created this work as part of his extensive Collection d'imitations de Dessins, a collection dedicated to reproducing and disseminating drawings by the principal Dutch and Flemish masters. This effort, undertaken in the early 19th-century Netherlands, showcases the sustained admiration for 17th-century Golden Age artists like Rembrandt. Josi’s adaptation translates the original drawing's textures and tones into the language of complex printmaking. The skillful use of multiple intaglio techniques, particularly the tonal effects offered by aquatint and roulette, allowed Josi to successfully emulate the nuanced shading inherent in Rembrandt’s characteristic style, creating a robust, multi-layered finished image.

The meticulous craftsmanship demonstrated by Josi solidified his reputation as an important figure in the preservation and popularization of earlier Dutch art history. This particular impression serves as a key record of the 19th-century appreciation for the psychological depth achieved in Rembrandt’s portraiture. Today, the enduring interest in this style ensures the continued study of works like the Portrait of a Man in an Armchair. High-quality prints derived from this influential tradition, often entering the public domain, continue to educate viewers worldwide. This historically significant print is currently housed in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.