Christ Preaching, called La Petite Tombe

Description

In Christ Preaching, called La Petite Tombe, Rembrandt places Christ at the center of a circle of listeners, one hand raised beneath a stone arch. A boy draws in the foreground, adding another kind of absorbed activity to the gathering. The familiar subject known as La Petite Tombe gains intimacy through differing acts of attention, making the company an active presence rather than an anonymous audience.

Made around 1657, the print combines etching, engraving and drypoint. Rembrandt brings the public act into a material form that can be considered closely, giving neighboring figures an individual place within the larger gathering. Its interest lies in the relationship between one person addressing others and the varied human presence of an audience. A sacred subject acquires intimacy through that connection, making shared attention rather than grand spectacle the center of the image’s human character.

Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Rembrandt collection.