Rembrandt, The Lumberjack's Family, engraving by J. Oortman, nineteenth century

Beautiful engraving by joachim jan oorman after a painting by rembrandt entitled "the lumberjack's family" in which we see on the left a mother carrying her young child in her arms, on the right the father holding an axe and on the ground a cat. Rembrandt harmenszoon van rijn, commonly known as rembrandt, (1606/1607 in leiden – 1669 in amsterdam) was a painter of the dutch school. Considered one of the greatest painters in history, he also made engravings and various drawings. At the age of 14, he decided to enroll at the university of leiden but did not study there, developing only a certain talent for painting that led him to jacob van swanenburgh (painter, draftsman, art dealer). For three years, rembrandt was his apprentice and learned to draw with a pen. Later, he met jan lievens (painter and draftsman) who passed on to him the knowledge of pencil drawing and became one of rembrandt's most enthusiastic collaborators. Nearly 400 paintings, 300 engravings and 300 drawings, as well as more than a hundred self-portraits, make it possible to trace the career and evolution of this painter. He specialized in the use of the chiaroscuro technique (play of light and shadow), which captures the eye of the viewer with its contrasts. Joachim jan oortman (1777-1818), an engraver by profession, began his training in a calico printing house in weesp and spent three years in amsterdam. There he met the draftsman, artist and printer willem kock. He was then apprenticed to charles howard hodges. In 1802, he left for paris with lambertus antonius claessens, it is there that he reproduces engravings after rembrandt van rijn and others.

Ref. : 4X1S1392