Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan, has recently acquired a rare Rembrandt engraving entitled “Three Crosses,” ca. 1653-1655. The dry point with burin engraving features Rembrandt’s rendition of the crucifixion of Christ, and had been handed down through a family in Luxembourg. In February 2007, one of the family members took the print to a curator in Amsterdam to be examined. The engraving was unknown up until that point.

Although over 50 prints of “Three Crosses” are in existence, the one that GRAM acquired is much more valuable. The painting “is one of Rembrandt’s earliest impressions, considered to be among the first ten, which makes it more desirable than the other 50,” says Brian Burch at GRAM.

“Three Crosses” is the eleventh Rembrandt engraving that GRAM owns, and the museum claims its most recent addition as the most significant piece in the organization’s works on paper collection. “The earliest impressions are the richest in shadow and ink, which make it among the best,” explains Burch.

Although the cost of the engraving cannot be disclosed, the museum claims, “in terms of prints, it is one of the most valuable works in the history of art.”

Grand Rapids Art Museum: gramonline.org