Jan Lutma, Goldsmith
Jan Lutma, Goldsmith, 1656
Etching, drypoint, and engraving
plate: 7 5/8 × 5 15/16 in. (19.37 × 15.08 cm) sheet: 7 3/4 × 5 15/16 in. (19.69 × 15.08 cm)
Gertrude Nunnemacher Schuchardt Collection, presented by William H. Schuchardt M1924.160
Photo credit: John R. Glembin
By using various weights and directions of line, Rembrandt was able to produce the same warm glow in his etchings as he did in his paintings. In this work, he employed the light from the window to create depth and to highlight the figure’s face. In earlier states of the print, the wall behind the man is blank.
Jan Lutma (ca. 1584–1669) was a famous gold- and silversmith. Here he is shown calm and assured at the end of his career, surrounded by objects of his trade. He holds a candlestick that he made, and on the table are tools such as a hammer and a container of punches. Lutma’s son Jan may have commissioned the etching.
This information is subject to change as the result of ongoing research.