The Descent from the Cross: Second Plate

The Descent from the Cross: Second Plate is a significant print created by Rembrandt van Rijn Dutch, 1606-1669, in 1633. This classification of the work as the "Second Plate" indicates that it is a revised or subsequent version of an earlier attempt at the same dramatic subject. Executed during the height of the Dutch Golden Age, the piece showcases the artist's early mastery of graphic arts. The specific medium utilized is etching and burin on ivory laid paper, a combination that allowed Rembrandt to achieve deep contrasts and varied line work critical to the overall effect.

The subject, the deposition of Christ's body after the crucifixion, required intense emotional rendering, which 1606-1669 achieved through meticulous detail and complex composition. As a printmaker, Rembrandt excelled at depicting dramatic narratives using sharp interplay of light and shadow, highlighting the sorrowful figures assisting with the lowering of the body. The addition of the burin alongside the acid etching process enabled him to refine the lines, adding density and darkness to heighten the solemnity of the moment. This technical sophistication is characteristic of his career in the Netherlands, where religious prints were widely collected.

This work stands as a crucial example of Rembrandt's skill in handling complex multi-figure compositions within the constrained scale of a print. The piece is held in the renowned collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as an important visual document of 17th-century European religious art. As an historical masterwork, high-quality images of this print are often made available through public domain resources, allowing students and art enthusiasts worldwide to study the nuanced lines of this celebrated Dutch printmaker.