The Death of the Virgin

The Death of the Virgin is a masterful print created by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1639. Executed primarily in etching, with the rich, velvety blacks of drypoint augmenting the deep shadows, this work showcases the technical innovation of the Dutch Golden Age master in printmaking. Unlike the traditional, serene depictions of the Virgin Mary’s Dormition, Rembrandt focuses on a dramatic, almost theatrical scene centered on her final moments.

Rembrandt’s composition focuses on the deathbed, where the central figure of the Virgin Mary is illuminated by an otherworldly light descending from the upper left. A flurry of apostles, mourners, and assisting figures surround her, their varied reactions providing deep psychological complexity to the scene. The use of intense chiaroscuro emphasizes the spiritual weight of the death, contrasting the fragile mortality of the subject with the implied divine intervention occurring above. While depicting a profound moment of suffering, the scene avoids excessive sentimentality, focusing instead on genuine human emotion.

This significant print represents the culmination of Rembrandt’s work with the etching needle during the late 1630s, demonstrating his technical fluency in creating texture and depth through line work. The detail in the drapery and the subtle variations in line density confirm why Rembrandt is regarded as one of history's most influential printmakers. This iconic image, a powerful meditation on mortality and faith, resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. High-resolution reproductions of this masterwork are often available for educational study through public domain resources.