Rembrandt The Three Trees

Rembrandt (1606-1669) is a Dutch painter and etcher. The print I am looking at today is his famous The Three Trees. It is a landscape etching.

When I first saw this image I knew I liked it. Because the image is quite small, it was hard to see all the details. Before I read any information about this work. I actually felt quite calm when I saw it. I felt that it is so amazing the the etching can create such an image.

I search around the internet, and found some images which part of the whole work showing more details.

First of all, the trees. They are the title, the main character of this work. By composition they are in the eye catching place in the whole work. They are really stand out from the light background.They are the first thing you see when you just look at the image. When you focus to see the trees,you see all the little tiny scratches which made out the tree trunks and all the leaves. You see lights and you see shadows. It is black and white but it feels like the trees are alive. I do not know much about the techniques of etching. I just feel it is really amazing that print can do. 

Now behind the trees, there is horse wagon with quite a few people on going up hill. There is also a person with something in his hand. On the hill, a man wearing a hat sitting there. The information about this work said that this is an artist sitting on the hill sketching. 

Surprisingly, there is a cottage behind the tree, down the hill which maybe the artist's house! 

Move to the left of trees, we see field. There are horses, people working in the field. There is also something there looks like a windmill. 

This is the left corner.  A man is fishing beside the river.You can clearly see his fishing pole, his hands, his face and even his eyes. A woman might be his wife sitting on the river bank. 

Here is the weather.  when I first looked at it, I felt it was a bad weather, but somehow I still felt calm..I guess that is maybe the power of nature. I did not understand the straight lines.By reading the information, they are maybe rain.  Look back the whole image, I can see the cloud moving fast, see light come through! 

There are also some birds flying in the sky!

Such great details. I am speechless with what etching can do.