The Goldsmith

The present impression is an outstanding example of this gentle interior scene, printed here on a thick sheet of yellowish Japan paper, which seems perfectly matched to the subject and mood. This small, cameo-like work displays a delicate interplay of light in a dark room, lit on the left by the fire and by a window on the right. It shows an elderly metalworker secluded in his foundry, surrounded by the tools of his trade, with the hooded forge glowing in the background. He is standing at his bench, working on a substantial Caritas group, presumably made of gilt bronze. The tenderness with which the goldsmith holds the sculpture is almost an allegory for an artist's deep attachment to his craft, and one can easily imagine Rembrandt handling the plate on which this was etched with the same affection. Some commentators have seen his expression as distracted, perhaps aware that he is soon to part with his creation.