In spring 2022, the Rembrandt Cabinet in Grenoble reopens with a focus exhibition on chiaroscuro entitled De l’ombre à la lumière (From Shadow to Light).
Between 1626 and 1665, Rembrandt engraved some 290 prints. Although he used the same materials and techniques as other engravers of his time, he explored all their possibilities with unparalleled freedom and ingenuity. Etching, drypoint, wiping and the choice of paper were inexhaustible fields of experimentation for him.
As he experimented with his technique and intensified his use of the drypoint needle from the early 1640s onwards, Rembrandt perfected the rendering of shadows, reinforced the dramatic and symbolic power of his scenes, and accentuated the expressiveness of his subjects through the use of chiaroscuro.
To achieve this, he worked directly on the copper plate, hatching parallel lines to lighten the various parts of his drawing to give the illusion of relief.
The current exhibition highlights prints that are particularly representative of this technique, some of which have recently joined the Fonds Glénat collection and are being presented to the Rembrandt public for the first time. These include the nocturnal Rest on the Flight into Egypt, The Descent of the Cross by Torchlight and The Schoolteacher.