The Three Crosses: states, dark matter and light
In 1653, Rembrandt engraved the Crucifixion almost entirely with drypoint. A few years later, he not only restored the worn plate: he destroyed part of its first composition and recreated it in a storm of hatching.
States show an image that changes meaning
A "state" is a version printed after a voluntary modification of the plate. In the first three states of Three Crosses, the composition remains generally stable: Christ is bathed by an opening of light, the centurion kneels, the crowd unfolds around the three tortured. The differences concern first a few shadows, line reinforcements, then the signature and the date.
The fourth state is a redesign. The drypoint having worn out after several dozen prints, Rembrandt scratches, polishes and redraws large areas. It removes or moves figures, adds riders and covers the sky with long vertical sizes. Clarity no longer opens the scene widely: it fights against a darkness that threatens to engulf even the thieves.
The fifth state is posthumous. The Amsterdam printer Frans Carelse, who became the owner of the plaque, adds his address and draws some impressions. So counting five states doesn't mean Rembrandt personally designed five successive compositions: four belong to his life, the last documents the subsequent history of the matrix.
The tip moves the copper and creates a beard that retains the ink, the source of velvety blacks.
Estimated number of impressions for the first three states before significant plate wear.
Expensive support for several first proofs, warmer and less absorbent than paper.
Museum notation meaning fourth state out of the five states listed.
Condition, test, inking: three concepts not to be confused
The plate
A copper matrix receives the lines dug directly by the tip and reinforced with a chisel.
The state
It only changes when the artist or a later owner physically modifies the matrix.
The test
Each sheet obtained under the press is a particular impression of this same plate.
Wiping
Ink left on the surface can veil an area or produce a tone without creating a new state.
The support
White paper, old paper or parchment modify warmth and sharpness, but not the design of the plate.
Two proofs of the same state can therefore appear surprisingly different. Rembrandt selectively wipes the plate, sometimes keeps a film of ink in the shadows and chooses a support which more or less retains the material. HAS conversely, a tiny line added to the right edge is enough to define a new state, even if it escapes first glance.
A light that organizes the story
Christ dominates the central axis, between the two thieves. The radiant lines that descend from the sky isolate its body, while the upper angles and edges become denser. Light is not homogeneous realistic lighting: it prioritizes the protagonists and visually translates the sacred event.
On the right, the Virgin collapses among the disciples. On the left, soldiers and horsemen form a firmer mass. In the center, the centurion kneels in front of the cross. The still relatively open space allows several people to follow reactions: fear, faith, curiosity, pain or withdrawal. A prostrate face down character accentuates the depth.
The first state is already a complete composition. This is not an unfinished proof awaiting essential details. The corrections of the second state remain tiny: a few additional hatching on the far right. The process only becomes spectacular later.
Five states, from equilibrium to night
| State | Date | Main modification | What changes for the look |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | 1653 | Complete composition, before signature and date; several proofs on parchment. | Ample light, numerous and readable groups. |
| II | 1653 | Some shadows and reinforced hatching at the right edge. | Discreet difference, especially useful in ranking events. |
| III | 1653 | Consolidated shadows; signature and date "Rembrandt f. 1653" added. | Outcome of the first design. |
| IV | around 1660 | Vast areas scratched and redesigned; new riders; sky barred with vertical lines. | The scene becomes darker, abrupt and focused on the suffering Christ. |
| V | after 1669 | Address of Frans Carelse added to the plaque. | Posthumous state: editorial change rather than Rembrandt's new invention. |
Completion of first vision
The third state bears the signature and date. The shadows are reinforced without upsetting the cast. Christ remains suspended in an almost white light; the two thieves, the crowd and the horses retain their autonomy. The central floor acts as a scene where human reactions unfold.
This relative clarity does not mean serenity. The points of the spears erect a forest around the crucified, the horsemen close the space and the disciples have difficulty supporting Mary. But the story remains accessible. The spectator can browse groups, identify the converted centurion and return to the central body.
The impressions of the third state are not identical. Cleaner wiping gives clear whites; a preserved plate tone adds a veil. The quality of the print also depends on the condition of the metal beard, which gradually crushes under the press.
Three human homes under the crosses
Rembrandt does not construct an ordered spectacle in frieze. The figures overlap, some are only silhouettes, others receive acute attention. This inequality of finish guides the eye: it first recognizes them gestures and masses, then discover faces. Drypoint allows this passage between appearance and disappearance.
Why do black people wear out so quickly?
Drypoint does not remove metal cleanly like a chisel. It pushes it back to the sides of the furrow and forms a small irregular crest, the "beard". When printed, this beard sticks a lot of ink. The lines become thick, velvety and slightly blurry - exactly the type of black Rembrandt is looking for.
But the passage under the press gradually crushes this fragile relief. The first tests therefore often have a richness that the following ones lose. After about forty impressions spread over the first three states, according to the estimate given by the Cleveland Museum of Art, the plaque could no longer provide the same depth.
Rembrandt could have simply traced the lines. He chooses a more ambitious solution: erase, scratch and redraw. Technical wear becomes the driving force of a new interpretation. The fourth state is not an invisible repair; it shows the very violence of the transformation.
Sky closes, image topples
Around 1660, Rembrandt covered the sides with long, almost vertical waists. He removes characters, adds others and redraws the horses. Traces of the first version sometimes remain visible under the new network, like ghosts locked in copper.
Christ remains the clear point, but his face is modified: the mouth opens, the eyes are half closed. The Metropolitan Museum reads a shift in the narrative moment. The first states insist on the conversion of the centurion afterwards death; the fourth focuses attention on Christ's final cry of abandonment.
This interpretation is based on visible changes, but it should not be transformed into a title given by Rembrandt. The artist did not leave a text explaining each cover. What is certain is that the light has narrowed and the world around the tortured person is becoming unstable.
Horses, silhouettes and active shadow
Black is not a uniform background. It passes through the figures, masks the legs, lets a face emerge, then becomes a surface again. The scene gains less illusionist depth than material intensity. The viewer simultaneously sees the Crucifixion and the energy of the tools in the copper.
Between the third and fourth states, Rembrandt not only brings down night: he transforms the worn plate into the visible memory of an image destroyed and then started again.
Support and wiping become a second pallet
Parchment
Less absorbent than paper, it keeps more ink on the surface. The contours soften, the blacks appear rich and the warm tint of the animal skin colors the light. The first state of the Met measures 38.1 × 43.8 cm for the plate and is printed on this expensive support.
Paper and plate tone
On laid paper, a cleanly wiped proof offers sharper whites. If Rembrandt leaves a film of ink on the unengraved areas, the background becomes veiled. These choices can profoundly modify the atmosphere without any line in the matrix changing.
Digital photography tends to equalize these gaps. A more yellow sheet may simply appear aged; a plate tone can be taken for a hatch. To correctly compare two tests, you have to look at the same details drawing - position of a figure, presence of a line, shape of a horse - before concluding a change of state.
What the prints prove - and what they suggest
| Question | Established fact | Careful reading |
|---|---|---|
| Number of states | Five are listed; the fifth bears the posthumous address of Frans Carelse. | Talking about "five versions of Rembrandt" masks that the last state is not his invention. |
| Technique | Dominant dry tip, with use of chisel; beards wear out under the press. | The common term "etching" is generic here and does not exactly describe the main method. |
| Fourth state | The plate is extensively scraped, polished and redesigned; many characters change. | Seeing it as a personal spiritual crisis of Rembrandt is not demonstrated by the archives. |
| Light | The first states open up a larger clear area; late states darken the sides. | Light can be read as grace, revelation, or last refuge, without a single documented key. |
| Biblical moment | The face of Christ, the centurion and the distribution of figures are modified. | The Met offers a passage from the conversion of the centurion to the cry of abandonment of Christ. |
| Aspect of a test | Inking, wiping and support produce visible variations. | A darker test does not automatically belong to a later state. |
Compare two states in five minutes
1. Check the plate
Compare fixed contours before paper color or overall black strength.
2. Look for the centurion
His kneeling posture in the early states became a major landmark of late recasting.
3. Examine the horses
To the left of Christ, mounts and riders change position in the fourth state.
4. Follow the light
Measure the clear opening around Christ and observe how far the vertical lines descend.
5. Separate line and tone
One line belongs to the plate; a soft veil can come from the ink left during wiping.
Sheets scattered between several print cabinets
The Metropolitan Museum notably preserves a first state on parchment, a third state and a fourth state. The Rijksmuseum has several proofs, including a fourth state cataloged IV/V and a print on parchment. The National Gallery of Art, the British Museum, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art also retain important states.
Prints are sensitive to light and generally do not remain permanently exposed. Work pages often indicate "not visible" or reserve consultation for graphic arts firms. Before a visit, check the hanging or appointment conditions.
The direct comparison remains irreplaceable: the beard of the drypoint, the shine of the ink and the texture of the support are partially lost on the screen. If an institution has two states together, first place yourself quite far away to compare the luminous mass, then get closer to the horses, the centurion and the face of Christ.
Explore Rembrandt's engraved and painted work
No exact product of Three Crosses currently not offered in the store. The commercial link therefore remains deliberately limited to the artist's general collection, without presenting a neighboring painting as the equivalent of this print.
Explore the Rembrandt collectionFAQ about The Three Crosses by Rembrandt
When did Rembrandt create The Three Crosses?
The first three states date from 1653. The fourth is generally located around 1660; the fifth is posthumous.
How many states do we know?
Five states are cataloged, but only the first four were made during Rembrandt's lifetime.
What's a state in engraving?
This is a version corresponding to a physical modification of the plate. A change of inking or paper is not enough to create a new state.
What technique does Rembrandt use?
Mainly drypoint, supplemented with chisel. The generic term "etching" is often used, but the image is not primarily constructed by acid bite.
Why is the fourth state much darker?
Rembrandt scraped and redesigned large areas, then added long vertical hatching that obscured the sides of the scene.
Why does drypoint wear out quickly?
The copper beard that holds the ink is gradually crushed by the pressure of the press, which weakens the velvety blacks.
Are parchment prints another state?
No. Parchment changes the heat, sharpness and how the ink stays on the surface, but the condition depends solely on the plate.
Where can you see The Three Crosses?
Notably at the Met, the Rijksmuseum, the National Gallery of Art, the British Museum, Cleveland and Philadelphia, according to rotations of works on paper.
Continue with Rembrandt's prints and light
Museum references
- Rijksmuseum - The Three Crosses, fourth state IV/V, RP-P-OB-618
- Rijksmuseum - The Three Crosses, printing on parchment
- Metropolitan Museum of Art - first state on parchment, 41.1.31
- Metropolitan Museum of Art - third state, 41.1.32
- Metropolitan Museum of Art - fourth state, circa 1660
- Cleveland Museum of Art - fourth condition, technique and plate wear
- Philadelphia Museum of Art - fourth state overhaul
- British Museum - fifth posthumous state and address of Frans Carelse
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