The Three Crosses (Rembrandt) --- Day 2/12

Walk: Legion of Honor (Rembrandt's Century lecture), CPMC (all good)
Distance: 3 miles



Christ Crucified Between Two Thieves: The Three Crosses. 
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) (Dutch, 1606–1669)
Drypoint printed on vellum; second state

15 x 17 1/4 in. (38.1 x 43.8 cm)
 

Today's art history lecture was on the Rembrandt's Century show which will run right next to and concurrently with the Girl with a Pearl Earring show at the de Young.  When this slide came onto the screen the lecturerer, James Ganz, Curator of the Auchenbach (Prints) at the Legion, said "This is Rembrandt's masterpiece.  This is amazingly complex - in subject, in viewpoint, as well as a technical marvel."

Obviously this captured my attention.  Rembrandt - The Rembrandt's masterpiece?! But I also thought, well perhaps Dr. Ganz is overly enthusiastic because the print is part of our collection.  So, I went to the Metropolitan Museam of Art's website where I read: The Three Crosses is one of Rembrandt's finest works in any medium and it represents the culmination of his virtuosity as a printmaker.

The art reviewer part of me wants to say something, but clearly what is necessary/appropriate is to spend time viewing and re-viewing such a work letting it speak.



Here's a smaller version in case the whole image above doesn't make it onto CIWT.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/41.1.31
http://deyoung.famsf.org/deyoung/exhibitions/rembrandt-s-century