The Persian

The Persian is an etching and drypoint print created in 1756 by Georg Friedrich Schmidt after an original concept by the Dutch master, Rembrandt van Rijn. This work, executed on laid paper, exemplifies the ongoing and powerful influence of seventeenth-century Dutch realism across Europe, even a century later during the period spanning 1751 to 1775.

As a German printmaker, Schmidt played a vital role in popularizing Rijn’s compositions. While Rijn often utilized printmaking to create original works, Schmidt’s version functions primarily as an interpretive reproduction, faithfully translating the dramatic chiaroscuro and atmospheric depth characteristic of the Baroque style into the mid-eighteenth century. The technique of etching, supplemented by drypoint, allowed Schmidt to achieve rich, velvety blacks and soft transitions between light and shadow, highlighting the expressive features of the subject.

The figure, identified by the simple title, suggests a specialized character study or tronie—a type of figure painting popular in Rijn’s circle. The subject’s specific costume and gaze were intended to evoke curiosity and convey a sense of exotic mystery to the European audience. The print’s classification within the German school during the period 1751 to 1775 underscores the deep engagement of later European artists with Rijn’s legacy, establishing a lasting visual dialogue between the eras.

Today, this print offers invaluable insight into the eighteenth-century marketplace for graphic arts and the enduring appeal of the Dutch Golden Age. As an important piece of cultural history now considered to be within the public domain, the image remains widely accessible for study. This work is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art.