The Death of the Virgin

The apocryphal theme of the death of the Virgin, who summons the Apostles to her deathbed after the angel announces her impending death, is rendered with great artistic freedom and buoyant freshness. The artist melded the inspiration he drew from the work of other masters - namely, Albrecht Dürer’s like-themed woodcut and stained-glass windows in the Oude Kerke church in Amsterdam - into an energetic and visually unique statement of his own. The drypoint technique enhances the depth of the dark shadows, which stand in stark contrast to the light clouds with the lightly-sketched figure of the angel. Moreover, the light serves also a symbolic function. This print is one of Rembrandt’s very best works.