Self-Portrait Leaning on a Stone Sill B. 21-Rembrandt van Rijn

Technical Data · Work ID

Diagnostic overview

The investigation focuses on three diagnostic axes:

1. Plate condition and line behavior
2. Microscopic exclusion of photomechanical reproduction
3. Structural comparison with the institutional State I

1. Plate condition and line behavior

The impression preserves active burr and measurable micro-relief in multiple zones where the institutional State I reference already exhibits visible wear. Line edges remain sharp, with intact drypoint feathering and uninterrupted fine strokes, indicating an early phase in the plate’s use.

Microscopic exclusion of photomechanical reproduction High-magnification photomicrographs (250×–500×) reveal genuine intaglio characteristics: V-shaped incised grooves, organic line vibration, ink accumulation within recessed channels, and direct ink–fiber interaction. No reticulated screens, dot patterns, chemical textures, or surface films associated with 19th-century photomechanical processes are observed.

Structural comparison with the institutional State I Precision overlays confirm full matrix correspondence while revealing qualitative differences in freshness and line completeness. These variations are consistent with plate evolution rather than printing variables, situating the present impression before the degree of wear documented in State I. Taken together, these convergent indicators support the interpretation of an early printing phase, grounded exclusively in observable and reproducible technical evidence.

Plate State · Comparative analysis

Plate state identification is grounded in direct analysis of the stroke, line depth, the presence of burr, and comparison with institutional images of State I.

Key observations

1. The Álvarez Collection impression preserves fresher details than the institutional State I. Complete fine lines, residual micro-burr and greater continuity appear in zones where State I shows perceptible wear.
2. Absence of breaks or weakening present in State I, particularly in the hatchings near the eyelid, cheek, and the shadow zone of the brow.
3. Greater ink density in deeper strokes. The cap and facial contour show natural ink accumulation typical of a plate that remains only lightly worn.

State conclusion

The impression documented here belongs to a phase preceding the visible wear documented in State I, indicating an exceptionally early pull.

Paper and PvL Countermark

The paper bears the PvL (Van der Ley) countermark. The WIRE Project documents PvL as a seventeenth-century Dutch papermaking mark; this PVR adopts that dataset framework for comparative analysis.

Observed characteristics:

• long fibers typical of Dutch laid paper,
• uniform texture without industrial treatments,
• authentic ink–fiber interaction,
• physical behaviour incompatible with nineteenth-century papers.

Technical relevance:

The support excludes late photomechanical processes and is consistent with early Rembrandt printings.

Burr and Line Morphology

Macro photographs reveal authentic burr in multiple sections:

• edge of the signature,
• eyelid lines,
• fine facial hatching,
• deep strokes of the cap.

Observed evidence:

• measurable relief on the paper surface,
• ink accumulation within line valleys,
• organic irregularity impossible in mechanical processes,
• gestural variation characteristic of etching + drypoint.

Macro detail showing the signature executed with an extremely fine drypoint needle, preserving exceptionally high burr rising above the paper surface. The incomplete rendering of numerals and the pronounced relief are exclusive to this impression and not evident in the institutional comparative material consulted to date.

Microscopic documentation

Key reference (Ad Stijnman, Engraving and Etching 1400–2000, 2012)

“Burr survives only approximately between 15 and 20 impressions from the time the groove is created. After this point, the metallic relief is flattened under press pressure and becomes progressively undetectable.”

Interpretation for this print:

In this impression, burr remains intact and measurably raised (c. 0.05–0.07 mm), as documented by calibrated microphotography with scale reference (see technical gallery). This indicates that the print was pulled very soon after the original incision, when the copper edge still raised burr. The visible burr constitutes strong physical evidence of early printing and authentic intaglio technique.

Technical Microscopy · No indicators consistent with heliogravure

The images show no evidence of heliogravure, photogravure, collotype, or other nineteenth-century reproductive processes.

All images were obtained at 250× to 500× using transmitted and raking illumination. No photomechanical screening or chemical pitting is observed—only manually raised drypoint burr and V-shaped copper grooves characteristic of Rembrandt’s original copperplate in its earliest phase.

Features incompatible with heliogravure

1. Complete absence of photomechanical grain or reticulation. No dots, cells, or repetitive patterns appear.
2. Real grooves with physical depth. Irregular cuts and micro-valleys where ink deposits organically.
3. Authentic ink–fiber interaction. Ink penetrates the fibers; it does not sit as a superficial film.
4. Gestural variation impossible for automatic processes. Natural thickening, thinning, and vibration of the stroke.
5. Line crossings with differential ink accumulation. This occurs only with real incision in copper.

Microscopic conclusion

The images fully exclude:

• heliogravure
• photogravure
• phototypy
• collotype
• any nineteenth-century reproductive process

The microscopic morphology is consistent with genuine intaglio printing.

Comparative Overlays · Structural coincidence with the original matrix

High-precision digital overlays were produced comparing:

• the Álvarez Collection impression
• the institutional State I, Rijksmuseum, inv. RP-P-OB-37

Results

Results

1. Complete structural coincidence in line geometry, ruling out free interpretation or manual copying.
2. Greater freshness in key zones relative to State I; the private impression preserves fine lines already attenuated in the reference.
3. Photomechanical reproductions typically introduce measurable deviations in scale, tonal screening, or surface structure. No such indicators are observed here.

Conclusion

The overlays confirm that the impression is consistent with derivation from the same copper matrix, as supported by structural overlays.

General Technical Conclusion

The convergent evidence derived from:

• intact, measurable burr,
• anti-heliogravure microscopy,
• authentic paper with PvL countermark,
• precise overlays,
• greater freshness than State I,

indicates that this impression of Self-Portrait Leaning on a Stone Sill comes from an exceptionally early printing, executed while the copper still retained its sharp edge and before the wear visible in the institutional State I.

Technical conclusion: authentic intaglio, early state, first-phase printing.

Provenance & Conservation

Provenance:

Private family collection, preserved for more than a century, never sold or transferred. The excellent conservation of the paper, margins and surface is due to careful storage within the family environment.

Conservation:

• stable paper without oxidation,
• no ink migration,
• no mechanical abrasion,
• intact burr structure,
• complete absence of moisture damage or structural deformation.

General conclusion · Interpretation and research contribution

The body of evidence (material, technical, comparative and historical) indicates that this impression represents an early proof-type impression consistent with seventeenth-century intaglio practice, contributing new comparative observations.

This discovery expands our understanding of Rembrandt’s creative process and contributes to the re-evaluation of the earliest paper stocks used in his workshop.

Primary references and datasets

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam — RP-P-OB-37. Early impression of Jan Six. Used as the primary institutional reference for line morphology, plate geometry, ink-edge comparison and 1:1 overlay alignment.

Erik Hinterding, Rembrandt as an Etcher — The Practice of Production and Distribution, 2006. Vol. I, pp. 63–67; Vol. II, catalogue of watermarks (Van der Ley subsection).

Rembrandt WIRE Project, Cornell University — PvL countermark (HMP 234985.b). Digital X-radiograph and morphological dataset used for chain spacing, countermark structure and watermark analysis.

Ad Stijnman, Engraving and Etching 1400–2000: A History of the Development of Manual Intaglio Printmaking Processes. London: Archetype / HES & De Graaf, 2012.

Access and research collaboration