Portrait of Abraham Francen, Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1657
etching, drypoint and engraving, printed with plate tone on Japanese paper, h 158mm × w 210mm More details
Rembrandt portrayed his friend, the apothecary Abraham Francen, in his study. The view of the outside world intruding through the window contrasts with Francen’s concentrated examination of the print or drawing in the quiet solitude of the dark room. The informal mood of the etching is enhanced by Francen’s unbuttoned doublet and the nonchalantly draped curtain.
