Summary
This print is one of many etchings executed by Leon Kossoff in response to, and literally in the presence of, oil paintings by old masters; in this case The Syndics of the Clothmaker's Guild (The Staalmeesters), 1662, by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-69), owned by the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. This print was never published as an edition; Tate owns the only trial proof.
Rembrandt’s painting depicts a group portrait of six men around a table. Five are officials and one is a servant. The group are united compositionally through the used of three horizontals; the edge of the table, the prevailing level of the heads and the edge of the wainscoting to the top edge of the painting. The colours are predominantly warm and harmonious, with the men’s’ white collars presenting a stark contrast to the mostly dark tones. Kossoff’s response to this painting follows the horizontal structure of the original; however he places more emphasis on the hats of the five syndics. The plate has been left partially inked, leaving a fairly uniform grey background tone to the print… (read more)
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