The Large Tree (Het Grote Boom)
Print (Etching) • Attributed to Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606–1669)
Style & Movement
Dutch Golden Age / Baroque
Medium & Technique
Etching on laid paper, executed with fine cross-hatching, varied line weight, and biting techniques typical of 17th-century printmaking
Creation Period
circa 1652
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 12.5 x 21 cm (plate mark), mounted on an album sheet, landscape format
Subject Description
Landscape composition featuring a monumental, gnarled ancient tree with a twisted trunk and exposed roots dominating the center and right foreground. A smaller group of figures with a dog is visible in the lower left distance, and a small rustic cottage is nestled among foliage on the right.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good, showing expected signs of age including slight paper toning, minor margin distress, and light foxing spots on the surrounding mount
Estimated Market Value
8000 - 15000 USD
Auction Estimate
5000 - 10000 USD
Provenance History
Likely from an old European collection or nineteenth-century print album, passed down through private descent, evidenced by the historical album page mounting
Art Historical Significance
An important example of Rembrandt's landscape etchings, which revolutionized the genre by treating landscape as an independent and expressive subject rather than merely a backdrop for narrative scenes
Notable Features
Visible signature in the lower center margin reading 'Rembrandt f.', highly detailed rendering of bark texture and foliage density characteristic of authentic impressions
Condition Issues
Trimmed close to or slightly within the plateline in certain areas, minor edge fraying, and light surface dust on the surrounding paper
Conservation Recommendations
Store in acid-free archival matting and UV-protective framing, keeping environmental conditions strictly controlled between 45-50% relative humidity and away from direct sunlight