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B 36d

Daniel’s vision of the four Beasts

  • French title:
    La vision de Daniel
  • German title:
    Die Vision des Daniels
  • Dutch title:
    Daniëls visioen van de vier beesten
  • New Hollstein:
    288d
  • Rembrandt in Black & White:
    47d

Etching, drypoint and burin. 1655.
Size: 97 x 76 mm. Surface 74 cm2.
Signed and dated, in the lower right corner: Rembrandt f. 1655.

NH 288d – 1st state of IV

Rarity of impressions

  • In auctions (2000-2025: extremely rare                                                      Early: 2                                    ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿

  • In collections (New Hollstein 2013): rare                                              Early: 50                                        ⦿⦿⦿⦿⊙⊙


Story

Book of Daniel, chapter 7.
This plate shows all elements of the Daniel’s vision. The four winds have swept the seas and the four beasts come out: a lion with wings of eagles, a four-headed leopard also with wings, a bear with three ribs in his mouth and an undefinable beast with mighty tusks and ten horns. They are supposed to be the symbols of the ‘empires’. In the sky we see the ‘Almighty’ sitting on his throne. His coat is snow white and his hair is like wool. He is surrounded by his followers.


States

New Hollstein lists four states, of which two after the plate was cut. Most other authors, including WB and NU, do not see new states after the plate was cut.
In the 1st state (R122) two oblique lines in the upper left hand corner do not reach the border.
In the 2nd state these oblique lines are continued to the border.
In the 3rd state (NH, NU, R123) the plate is cut. No other changes are made.
In the 4th state (NH, NU) additional lines of shading are added to the background.


Prints and collections

Of the 1st state six impressions are on Japanese paper and three on vellum.
Of the 2nd state two impressions are on Japanese paper and also two on vellum.
Of the 4th state only two impressions are known.


Watermarks

In the 2nd and 3rd state: Fleur-de-lis (1655).


Rembrandt in Black & White: 47d

New Hollstein: 1st state of IV/White-Boon: 1st state of II
The two lines in the left upper corner are not yet reaching the border, confirming a 1st state.
Sheet 107 x 74/75 mm. Trimmed just outside the border all around.


Exhibitions

Rembrandt in Zwart-Wit, Westfries Museum (Hoorn), Het Markiezenhof (Bergen op Zoom), Stedelijk Museum Zutphen, Het Hannemahuis (Harlingen), March 2013 – July 2014;
Rembrandt in Black & White, Schloß Britz (Berlin), Bozar Expo (Brussels), Chateau des Penthes (Geneva), November 2015 – October 2016;
Rembrandt, fotograaf avant-la-lettre, Museum De Reede (Antwerp), January – May 2023;