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B 147

Old man in meditation, leaning on a book

  • French title:
    Le philosoph en meditation
  • German title:
    Nachdenkender Greis, Halbfigur
  • Dutch title:
    Een in gedachten verzonken man, leunend op een boek (Archimedes)
  • New Hollstein:
    226
  • Rembrandt in Black & White:
    23

Etching and drypoint (from the 2nd state). Ca 1645.
Size: 133 x 108 mm. Surface: 144 cm2.
Not signed, not dated. The date is generally assumed to be 1645, but Middleton suggests 1646.

NH 226 – 2nd state of II

Zoom

Copper Plate

The copperplate was not part of any of the major, early collections and is probably not in existence.

Rarity of impressions

  • In auctions (2000-2025): rare                                                   Early: 9                                        ⦿⦿⦿⦿⊙⊙

  • In collections (New Hollstein – 2013): very rare                    Early: 34                                      ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⊙

  • Catalogue Nowell-Usticke (1967): RRR+, an extremely rare, very lightly etched plate      ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⊙

Subject/Sitter

In Valerius Röver’s 18th century catalogue this etching is recorded as d’Archimedes flauw geetzt (Archimedes, weakly etched). Probably the presence of a globe in the lower right corner has led to believe that the man is a geographer.

Related

The execution of this etching is comparable to The rest on the flight to Egypt (B 58) and St.Peter in penitence (B 96), both also drawn in very light lines. As a result these prints look like silverpoint drawings.
According to Münz Rembrandt has used the same model as his pupil C. van der Pluym did in two drawings.
According to Jan Six the etching is a portrait of Jan Sylvius.

Copies

There is a copy in the same direction by Flameng, but only of the left part (in the catalogue of Blanc, 77 x 74 mm).

Attributions and reviews

According to Coppier the etching is made by a pupil.

States

Most authors list two states.
In the 1st state (NH, WB, R417) the outline of the forehead is drawn in dots.
In the 2nd state (NH, WB, R418) the outline of the head is a solid line. The outline of the back is made stronger and shading is added below the contour of the shoulder (in the form of three N’s), with the drypoint.
Münz and Hind recognize a 3rd state in which parallel shading is added on the shoulder, not by Rembrandt.

Prints and collections

Of the 1st state only one impression is known, in the Dutuit Collection (Paris).

Watermarks

In the 2nd state: Strasbourg lily (c. 1646-48); Foolscap.

Literature

H 218, BB 45-4, G 58(3), M 156, Mz 67, RA 417-418, Cl 144, W 145, Bl 111, Du 143, CD 177, S 66.
De grote Rembrandt, p. 115; Hinterding 2008, p. 285-286;

Rembrandt in Black & White: 23

NH/WB: 2nd and final state
A good impression with burr on the left-hand side. Light additions with pencil and brown ink. Small brown stains to the front of the face, on the shoulder and left of the book.
Sheet 123 x 100/102 mm, On three sides the plate is cut approx. 2 to 3 mm within the plate mark (- 13%).
Watermark: Part of a foolscap. Hinterding lists variant ZZ.zz. Horizontal chain lines at approx. 22 mm.

Provenance

In the collection of George Hibbert (Manchester 1757-1837 London, Lugt 2849) his collector’s mark in black ink in the upper left corner, recto.
It was probably in his sale with Th.Philipe in London in April 1809 in which 315 prints by Rembrandt were sold.

Exhibitions

Rembrandt in Zwart-Wit, Westfries Museum (Hoorn), Het Markiezenhof (Bergen op Zoom), Stedelijk Museum Zutphen, Het Hannemahuis (Harlingen), Museum Gouda, Jan ten Horne Museum (Weert), Stadsmuseum Harderwijk, March 2013-August 2015;
Rembrandt, de fotograaf, Westfries Museum (Hoorn), June 2024 – January 2025;

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