The Crucifixion: Small Plate

The Crucifixion: Small Plate by Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) is an intensely focused print executed during the crucial years between 1630 and 1640. This small-scale etching demonstrates the Dutch master’s technical prowess in printmaking, a medium he explored extensively throughout his career.

Although diminutive, the work conveys monumental dramatic tension. The composition centers on Christ, shown upon the cross, surrounded by the anguished Men and Women gathered at the foot of Golgotha. The artist’s skillful use of the etching needle and acid results in varied line work and deep contrasts, utilizing shadows to focus attention on the central figures. This dramatic lighting heightens the emotional impact of the scene, underscoring the profound sense of Sadness, particularly in the depiction of the Virgin Mary and other followers mourning the tragedy.

Created during the Dutch Golden Age, this piece reveals Rembrandt’s characteristic attention to psychological depth rather than idealized spectacle. While renowned for his oil paintings, the artist produced some of his most technically innovative work through prints, pioneering new methods for creating texture and atmosphere. The work currently resides in the esteemed collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a powerful example of 17th-century devotional art and a foundational piece among the museum’s holdings of European old master prints. High-quality reproductions of this artwork are frequently found in the public domain, allowing wide access to Rembrandt’s crucial Biblical scenes.