The tribute money

The tribute money is a significant print created by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1634. Executed on paper, this work demonstrates the artist's early mastery of printmaking techniques, placing it firmly within the context of the Dutch Golden Age. The subject illustrates the New Testament narrative (Matthew 22), where Jesus is confronted by religious adversaries concerning the political dilemma of paying taxes (tribute) to the Roman authorities.

Rijn concentrates the visual drama on the central exchange, utilizing strong contrasts of light and shadow, characteristic of his mature style, to highlight the figures involved in the theological debate. The composition is complex, featuring a crowd of characters whose intense expressions capture the political and religious tension inherent in the question, "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?" Rijn’s precise draftsmanship allowed him to produce exceptionally high-quality prints that circulated widely throughout Europe, spreading his fame as a master storyteller. The figures are rendered with sharp detail, focusing the viewer’s attention on the coin and the gesture of the principal figures.

This piece stands as an important example of Rijn’s evolving graphic output during the mid-1630s, showcasing his skillful manipulation of the printing plate to achieve rich tonal variety. Due to the historical and cultural significance of such masterworks, high-resolution scans of these historic prints are often placed into the public domain for study and appreciation by scholars globally. This particular impression of the work is housed in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it serves as a key reference point for understanding the breadth and depth of Rijn’s influence beyond his famous oil paintings.