The Three Crosses

The Three Crosses is an extraordinary large-format print created by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1653. Executed primarily on paper using the complex techniques of drypoint and etching, this dramatic work represents the culmination of Rijn's mastery of graphic art during the Dutch Golden Age. The piece captures the harrowing scene of the Crucifixion of Christ on Calvary, a profound religious subject Rijn explored repeatedly throughout his career.

Rijn utilized the rich, velvety blacks characteristic of the drypoint technique to define the tumultuous scene. The composition is centered on the three raised crosses, dramatically illuminated amidst a dense crowd of Roman soldiers, horsemen, and grieving figures. This profound manipulation of light and shadow (chiaroscuro) heightens the emotional intensity, emphasizing the divine nature of the event against the surrounding human chaos.

Unlike many of his contemporary masters, Rijn continually reworked his plates, and The Three Crosses is particularly noted for existing in multiple distinct states, each showing radical changes to the figures, background, and overall tonal balance. The evolution documented across these different prints provides unique insight into the artist’s iterative creative process. As one of the most important surviving examples of 17th-century Dutch etching, this masterwork is proudly housed within the extensive collection of the Rijksmuseum. Like many seminal works of printmaking, high-quality reproductions are often found available through public domain collections for study and appreciation.