REMBRANDT VAN RIJN Jan Asselijn, Painter ("Krabbetje").
Etching, engraving and drypoint, circa 1647. 190x170 mm; 7½x6¾ inches. Biörklund's fourth state (of 4); Usticke's fourth state (of 6); White and Boon's fourth state (of 3); New Hollstein's fourth state (of 4). Trimmed on the plate mark on three sides and inside the plate mark upper edge into the blank background, with the full composition preserved. A very good impression with strong contrasts.
This is Rembrandt's (1606-1669) portrait of fellow artist and Dutch landscape painter Asselijn (circa 1614-1652), known as "Krabbetje." Asselijn's left hand was deformed (which Rembrandt has disguised, tucked into the artist's hip) and during his stay in Rome fellow members of the Dutch painters' association, "De Bentvueghels," nicknamed him "krabbetje"--Dutch for "little crab." Bartsch 277; Biörklund 47-1; Hollstein (White and Boon) 277; New Hollstein 236.
