Dutch Farmhouse in Light and Shadow, 1635–36

Rembrandt was a true master of rendering light, be it spiritual radiance or just plain sunlight drenching the wall of a dilapidated farmhouse in the Dutch countryside. The latter is the case in this drawing, one of his earliest depictions of peasant houses during his long walks outside Amsterdam. The scorching summer sun is suggested by the marked contrast of deep tones of brown ink and the white surface of the paper that the artist deliberately left blank. The vine running up the wall suggests a human presence and enhances the painterly qualities of the scene.