The artist's mother seated at a table, looking right: three quarter length

The artist's mother seated at a table, looking right: three quarter length is an exceptional early print created by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1631. This refined impression demonstrates Rijn's burgeoning mastery of etching and drypoint techniques, executed specifically on high-quality Japanese paper. The use of this distinctive medium, often favored by the artist, allowed for unique tonal variations and rich, velvety blacks, enhancing the stark contrast essential to the composition.

The subject is Neeltgen Willemsdr van Zuytbrouck, the artist’s mother, who served as a critical model for Rijn during his formative years in Leiden. Seated three-quarter length at a simple table, she is depicted in quiet contemplation, her gaze directed thoughtfully to the right. Rijn employs dramatic chiaroscuro, utilizing dense cross-hatching to define her aged features and the texture of her heavy garments. This deep focus on psychological realism, rather than idealized form, places the print firmly within the stylistic hallmarks of the 17th-century Dutch Golden Age.

As one of the key family studies among Rijn's prolific output of prints, the work offers crucial insight into the artist’s developing technical skill before his permanent move to Amsterdam. This influential piece belongs to the distinguished collection of the Rijksmuseum. Given the historical age of these etchings, high-resolution scans are widely accessible, allowing this significant example of early Baroque printmaking to be readily studied as public domain artwork.