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A man stands near the center of an architectural area surrounded by about twenty-five people.　

The man (Christ) is dressed in robes, barefoot, both arms upraised with a slight halo above his head. The people around him are in various poses of standing, sitting, leaning in, some with heads resting on hands listening, pensive faces, men and women, of various ages. Some are loosely defined faces in the shadows. The people are situated on the periphery of the space with the center open in front of Christ. A small child lays on his stomach in the lower front, drawing or pointing with his finger on the ground. A darkened archway in the back leads to village buildings.

Identification and Creation

Object Number
G3233
People
Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn, Dutch (Leiden 1606 - 1669 Amsterdam)
Title
Christ Preaching ("La Petite Tombe")
Other Titles
Original Language Title: La Petite Tombe
Classification
Prints
Work Type
print
Date
c. 1652
Culture
Dutch
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/279611

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Etching and drypoint with plate tone on warm brown Japanese paper
Technique
Etching and drypoint
Dimensions
plate: 15.1 x 20.5 cm (5 15/16 x 8 1/16 in.)
sheet: 16.4 × 21.6 cm (6 7/16 × 8 1/2 in.)
Inscriptions and Marks
  • collector's mark: verso, brown ink: J.B. [John Barnard (Lugt 1419)]
  • inscription: lower right corner of margin, brown ink: H
  • collector's mark: verso, purple stamp with graphite numbering within: [Gray Collection accession stamp (Lugt 4836)] 3233
  • inscription: verso, various graphite inscriptions: B 67 / Ev Debr 56 / [pound sign] 12.12, [Gray purchase information: from Evans December 1856 for 12 guineas]

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History
John Barnard, (Lugt 1419), auction sale, 1798. The Barnard sale was distinguished for its Rembrandts, especially impressions on Japan such as this.
Evans?, sale to Gray?, 1856. An annotation on the reverse suggests that the print was acquired by Gray from the London dealer Evans in 1856; it is known that many of his best old-master impressions came from Evans at that time.
Francis Calley Gray, purchase from Evans?, 1856, bequest to nephew, 1856.
William Gray, gift to Harvard University, 1857.

State, Edition, Standard Reference Number

State
"i/ii ("black sleeve" impression)
Standard Reference Number
New Hollstein 298, Bartsch 67, Hind 256, Rovinski 67

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Gift of William Gray from the collection of Francis Calley Gray
Object Number
G3233
Division
European and American Art
Contact
am_europeanamerican@harvard.edu
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Exhibition History

  • Fine Art for Harvard: The Gray Collection of Engravings, Fogg Art Museum, 09/02/1986 - 11/02/1986

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Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of European and American Art at am_europeanamerican@harvard.edu