The Adoration of the Shepherds: Nocturne, Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1657
etching, h 150mm × w 198mm More details
In the adjacent print, Rembrandt had some light shine around Joseph. However, the artist wanted to further enhance the stable’s nocturnal atmosphere. To achieve this, he added lines on the copper plate to intensify the darkness of the scene. Such modified prints are called states. Here, the shadow around Joseph has been reinforced, leaving only his book and the faces of Mary and Jesus softly illuminated.
