The Angel appearing to the Shepherds

The Angel appearing to the Shepherds of 1634 is one of Rembrandt’s first religious etchings on a large scale. The present fine impression allows us to fully admire the many delightful elements of this richly varied composition: the angel and the little putti swirling in the sky around the Holy Spirit, almost invisible in the blinding light, and the stunned shepherds and their animals, fleeing in terror, all suddenly illuminated by the celestial apparition. The rest of the scene - the two figures emerging from the cave at lower right, curious to see what’s causing the tumult, the distant landscape by night, the travelers down by the river with their fires reflected in the water, and the dense forest with a gnarled old tree and a palm at the edge - is fading into nocturnal twilight. The various parts of the composition each strike a very different tone: the angel does have a certain severity and grandeur about him, while the scene of the panic-stricken herdsmen and beasts is almost burlesque in its vivacity, in contrast with the quiet, lyrical feel of the distant landscape at night. Yet, Rembrandt brings it all together in a grand tableau.
According to the inscription on the reverse, which reads: 'for 25 stuivers bought from Uylenburgh', the present impression appears to have been acquired - we don't know by whom - in the 17th century from a family member of Rembrandt's wife Saskia, possibly her cousin Hendrick van Uylenburgh (circa 1587-1661). Hendrick was an important art dealer and probably introduced her to Rembrandt during the time the young artist lodged with him in Amsterdam after his move from Leiden in 1631.