The Triumph of Mordecai

The scene pictures an episode from the Book of Esther: the triumphant procession celebrating the Jew Mordecai, for whom King Ahasuerus had sent to repay him for having saved his life years ago. However, Mordecai is brought by the king’s counsellor Haman, who hated the Jews and plotted for their mass murder. In the composition, Rembrandt drew inspiration from his teacher Pieter Lastman’s painting of 1617, but treated the subject in a highly innovative manner: he used drypoint to the same extent as etching, and he did so not only where details were concerned. This new approach enabled him to achieve a gamut of tones; he later applied a similar principle in his famed One Hundred Guilder Print. The sheet on view is a rare impression on smooth Japanese paper. Rembrandt was a tireless experimenter in diverse printmaking techniques, testing with interest various types of paper, seeking the most compelling solution for each particular composition.