Self-Portrait Leaning on a Stone Sill

Rembrandt van Rijn

1639

Etching and drypoint

Dallas Museum of Art

In this detailed and delicately etched self-portrait, Rembrandt depicts himself leaning against a stone surface and wearing a heavy coat and tilted cap. It was not uncommon for Rembrandt to use several printing techniques in one print, typically starting with etching and then using drypoint for embellishments and shading, as seen in this self-portrait. Thicker lines are used to highlight folds in his coat and the contour of his hat, while much thinner and lighter lines make up his soft expression, hair, and subtle shading. storage