Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn

A very fine impression of the third, final state, printing strongly and with fine contrasts. With the fine horizontal lines and wiping scratches at the left edge manifest. The diagonal slash in the centre (present in all impressions) is properly un-inked. With a fillet of blank paper outside the platemark, trimmed on the platemark on the lower left edge. The print was etched, at a time when Rembrandt created a number of comparable sheets featuring studies that bring together several heads; after taking a few impressions of the plate bearing only Saskia’s head at the centre, he added two further heads—one of which is rendered in just a few delicate lines. These too, without question, depict his wife’s features, and she also served as the model for a similar etching. Prints of this nature were not intended as portraits. Rather, they form part of a tradition of model sheet series, which were widely printed and circulated once printmaking had become an established artistic medium. Isolated small brown spots and minimal time-staining. The upper left corner made up. Traces of a former mounting along the edges verso, otherwise in good condition.