REMBRANDT VAN RIJN A Peasant Calling Out: 'Tis Vinnich Hout'; A Peasant Replying 'Dats Niet'.
Two etchings, 1634. Both approximately 110x40 mm; 4 3/8x1 5/8 inches. Trimmed on or just inside the plate marks. Superb, dark and richly-inked impressions of these extremely scarce etchings, with very strong contrasts and no sign of wear.
Loosely translated, the peasant on the left says, "Damned cold" and the peasant on the right replies, "Call that cold?" This exchange is a unique example of the only true companion pieces among Rembrandt's œuvre.
According to Usticke, "Very scarce (RR)." We have found only five other pairs of these etchings at auction in the past 30 years.
Provenance: Unidentified collector, initial K ink stamp, versos (Lugt 4762). Bartsch 177; Biörklund 34-E; Hollstein (White and Boon) 177; New Hollstein 131 and 132.
