Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn

A fine lifetime impression of the first state, printed with plate tone. With false biting, resulting in irregular white spots, typical for the earliest state. It is likely that Rembrandt’s studies of male nudes, all created in 1646 from the same models, were part of a cohesive series. This particular sheet is especially intriguing due to the background scene: a young child, standing in a wheeled walker, is learning to walk in a Dutch kitchen with an open hearth, while a maid watches over him. The juxtaposition of two entirely distinct subjects in one composition is rare in Rembrandt’s work. Thread margins at top and left side; trimmed on the platemark on bottom and right side. – Minor thinning in the corner and along the side edges. The upper left corner carefully restored. Paper strips from a previous mounting along the right edge on the verso. Otherwise in very good condition.