Ulster Museum: Rembrandt etchings ready for exhibition

The etchings will be on display from Friday 25 September

Six etchings by Rembrandt will be displayed at the Ulster Museum from Friday.

The works from the Dutch master date from the 1630s and have ended up in NI following a tax bill arrangement.

Two of the etchings were displayed for a short time in December, but all six will now be available for the public to view in the new exhibition.

The museum reopened in July, following its closure due to the coronavirus lockdown.

The etchings made their way to NI following a deal struck over an outstanding tax bill

The Belfast museum became the beneficiary of an agreement negotiated by the tax authorities to secure £150,000 owed to the Exchequer.

Anna Liesching, curator of art at National Museums NI, described the gift as "transformative".

"Rembrandt was a tireless experimenter who brought many innovations to the art of etching," she said.

Anna Liesching described the etchings as "transformative"

"Through this experimentation he developed an incredible skill at capturing contrasts of light and shade, perfecting a method to create a strikingly atmospheric image.

"Though many of his paintings are associated with the dramatic and awe inspiring style of Baroque painting, Rembrandt's etchings communicate a unique silence that is often found in the Golden Age of Dutch art.

"This gift immeasurably transforms the Ulster Museum collection, as these are the first works by Rembrandt to enter a public collection in Northern Ireland."

With coronavirus safety measures in place at the museum, visitors are advised to pre-book tickets to guarantee a particular time slot on a preferred date.