Medea, or the Marriage of Jason and Creusa

Art Historical Context

In 1648, Rembrandt van Rijn, the Dutch Baroque master renowned for his profound psychological depth and mastery of light and shadow, created *Medea, or the Marriage of Jason and Cre*. This etching draws from Greek mythology, depicting the sorceress Medea witnessing Jason's wedding to Creusa (also known as Glauce), moment pregnant with jealousy and impending tragedy. Produced during Rembrandt's Amsterdam period, when he was at the height of his fame, the print reflects his fascination with narratives from classical sources, blending history, emotion, and theatricality in a compact format. Rembrandt's technique shines here: primarily an etching, enhanced with subtle drypoint touches that create a velvety burr for rich tonal contrasts and texture. Etching allowed precise, fluid lines on a copper plate, while drypoint added an intimate, painterly quality—innovations that elevated printmaking from reproduction to high art. Measuring just 14.1 × 17.8 cm on the plate, this intimate work invites close viewing, revealing the artist's genius in capturing fleeting expressions and atmospheric depth on simple European white paper. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Rosenwald Collection (Department CG-E), this print exemplifies Rembrandt's rare forays into mythological subjects, underscoring his influence on European art. It offers visitors a window into 17th-century storytelling, where myth meets human passion through one of history's greatest printmakers.

About the Artist

Rembrandt van Rijn · 1606–1669

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606–1669) stands as one of the greatest visual artists in the history of Western art and the most important Dutch painter of the 17th century. Born in Leiden to a prosperous miller's family, Rembrandt transformed painting through his revolutionary use of light and shadow, his psychological depth in portraiture, and his elevation of etching to a fine art. His approx...