Landscape with a castle

This impressive view is the work of one of Rembrandt’s students - probably Philips Koninck - a landscapist who sought inspiration in their mentor’s simple compositions and painterly concept. The misty atmosphere, so characteristic of the Dutch countryside, is created here using interrupted lines and, notably, ample washes over the print’s dark areas. This is a relatively rare example of a trial impression, in which the artists tried out modifications in the scene’s chiaroscuro composition, prior to etching it into the plate. Rembrandt worked in a similar manner.