A Descriptive Catalogue Of The Etched Work Of Rembrandt Van Rhyn By Charles Henry Middleton

The rarest and certainly one of the most important early catalogue raisonnes of Rembrandt's etchings. Middleton describes 329 works he considers authentic and 30 which he rejects, all in great detail, with particular attention to states. He also provides detailed, complex, and scholarly arguments justifying his acceptance or rejection of each questionable piece.He was the first to do so and thus open a new era in the study of these prints. Also includes 12 plates with illustrations of details distinguishing states and copies.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1878 edition. Excerpt: ... 1st. As described. The impressions of this, the perfect state of the plate when in good condition, are very beautiful Some are on India paper and have all the richness of tone which the tint of the paper imparts. Coll: BM. C. O. P. A. H. 2nd. A window is introduced in the right background; on the sill is placed a water bottle; in the upper left of this window is Rembrandt, and below it/ 1656; on the wall above the table is engraved in a different hand Joannes Lutma Auri/ex, and below natus Groningae. Coll: BM. C. P. AH. yd. The plate is reduced in height, it now measures 7, 6 (193), and has a clear space-f3 ('007) below; this impression appeared in the Van Leyden Collection. Coll: A. Copy. Same d. of 1st State, BibL IX. Copy. By M. Charles Blanc. Copy. An almost exact imitation of the 2nd State of this print has recently been produced by the Photogravure process of Messrs. Goupil; a slight difference in the size excepted, it is hardly possible to point out any variation which distinguishes it from the original, for which it might easily be mistaken. Before issuing the impressions the publishers stamp each at the back to guard against deception. If the student will carefully examine the shading of the background to the left of the plate, which is undoubtedly by Rembrandt, and compare it with the shading on the wall to the right, and the shading round the window, which appear only in the 2nd State, he will I think agree with me that in all this new work the hand of the master is conspicuous by its absence.' I am rather surprised that no one has made this observation before, or asked how it could possibly be that Rembrandt, having completed so superb a print, should deliberately mar the harmony of the piece and weaken its effect by the...