Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669)
Death Appearing to a Wedded Couple from an Open Grave
Etching and drypoint, 1639, a delicate and excellent impression of the only state of this rare print, with wiping marks and fine drypoint strokes visible, on fine laid paper with traces of a partial watermark [probably the top part of the crown from a Strasburg Lily, often found on early impressions of this etching], sheet 107 x 77 mm (4 1/4 x 3 in), trimmed to or just within the platemark, approximately 1-2 mm of loss to image at left edge (unframed)

Literature:
Bartsch 109; New Hollstein 174 i/i

⁂ Rare. We are aware of only 13 other impressions of this print having been offered on the open market in the last 35 years. Inspired by the "Dance of Death" series of woodcuts by Hans Holbein the Younger, whose artwork Rembrandt was known to collect, the present etching possibly shows the artist's wife, Saskia, as the model holding the flower that represents the brevity of human life.