St. Jerome Beside a Pollard Willow

St. Jerome Beside a Pollard Willow is a masterful print created by Rembrandt van Rijn Dutch, 1606-1669, in 1648. Executed using etching and drypoint on ivory laid paper, this work showcases Rembrandt’s profound control over line, texture, and tonal depth. The production of high-quality prints flourished in the Netherlands during the Dutch Golden Age, allowing religious subjects like this one to reach a wider audience than painting alone permitted.

The subject, Saint Jerome, is depicted as a contemplative scholar and ascetic in the wilderness. Rembrandt situates the figure beside a dramatically rendered pollard willow, whose gnarled and dense structure provides a stark backdrop for the saint's introspection. Jerome, recognizable by his traditional scholarly accessories, is seen absorbed in his reading. The composition uses intense shadow and subtle transitions of light characteristic of the artist’s mature style. The drypoint technique, visible in the rich, velvety burr, lends an unparalleled depth to the shadows, emphasizing the solitary devotion of the figure and the austere nature of his setting.

While known primarily for his monumental paintings, Rembrandt was arguably the most influential printmaker of the 17th century. His mastery of graphic media allowed him to achieve a dramatic power usually reserved for oil painting, particularly in how he modulated light and dark. This piece, dating from 1648, is an outstanding example of that innovation. Today, high-resolution reproductions of the work are often available through public domain initiatives, ensuring its lasting accessibility for study. This important impression resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.