The Artist Drawing from the Model

The Artist Drawing from the Model was created by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1639. This intimate and reflective genre scene exemplifies the Dutch artistic fascination with process and the pursuit of ideal form during the flourishing period of the 1601 to 1650 Golden Age.

As a significant example of the artist’s graphic output, this work is classified as a print, utilizing a sophisticated combination of etching, drypoint, and burin. Rijn’s mastery of these disparate printmaking techniques allowed him to achieve rich tonal variation and a distinctive quality of line, particularly visible in the deep shadows that frame the composition. The addition of drypoint, which leaves a burr on the copper plate, lends a characteristic velvety softness to the lines that sets his prints apart from those made solely by etching.

The subject depicts an artist, likely self-referential, seated before his easel, intensely focused on sketching a nude figure standing opposite him. The composition highlights the stark contrast between the intense concentration of the draughtsman and the quiet vulnerability of the model. Rijn frequently explored the role and identity of the artist in his extensive output, making this work an important document of 17th-century artistic practice in the Netherlands. The piece functions simultaneously as a study of the human form and a profound meditation on the act of creation itself.

Produced during the height of the Dutch Golden Age, this highly influential print resides in the esteemed collection of the National Gallery of Art. Because of its age and historical importance, high-quality images of this masterwork are often available within public domain archives for scholarly study and appreciation.