Rembrandt van Rijn Jacob Laments the Death of Joseph, 1633 Etching, 4 ½ x 3 1/8 in. (11.4 x 7.9 cm) Signed lower right: Rembrandt van Rijn Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Henry D. Bradley Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was a Dutch painter and etcher. He is generally considered one of the greatest painters and printmakers in European art history and the most important in Dutch history. His contributions to art came in a period that historians call the Dutch Golden Age. Rembrandt is one of art history’s greatest interpreters of the Bible. Rembrandt’s subject comes from the story of Joseph, the son of the Hebrew patriarch Jacob and Rachel. Jealous of Joseph’s privileged status as his father’s favorite, his half-brothers stripped him of his coat, threw him into a pit, and sold him to passing merchants, who took him to Egypt. The brothers then smeared Joseph’s coat with goat’s blood and took it Jacob, who recognized it and lamented, “It is my son’s robe. A wild beast has devoured him; Joseph has been torn into pieces.” In a masterful composition that effectively communicates the essence of the narrative, Rembrandt emphasizes Jacob’s agonized reaction to the presentation of the coat. The drama is enhanced by the rich light and dark contrasts, created through variations in the density of etched lines. While strongest in American art, the Albrecht-Kemper collection also contains significant examples of European art, especially prints.