Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn

Sketched no doubt during a walk along the road to Amstelveen near the town of De Overtoom, this rare large landscape was executed towards the end of the day as the sun began to dip low over the western horizon. Rembrandt was less concerned with an accurate portrayal of the scene (as his changes in the third state testify, such as the alterations to the shape of the tower), but rather to produce a harmonious study of the setting sun. The long strokes of the etching needle used in the sky contrast with the short textured shading which unites the buildings and trees, forging a single mass accross which the lengthening shadows play.