Lot with His Daughters - Georg Friedrich Schmidt

A detailed 1771 etching by Georg Friedrich Schmidt, reproducing a biblical scene in the style of Rembrandt with masterful use of light and shadow.

This etching by Georg Friedrich Schmidt, dated 1771, reproduces a composition attributed to Rembrandt. Schmidt, a skilled German printmaker, spent significant time in Paris and St. Petersburg, where he developed a reputation for his technical precision in reproducing the works of Dutch masters. The scene depicts the biblical narrative of Lot and his daughters, a subject frequently explored by artists of the seventeenth century for its dramatic and moral complexity.

In this print, Schmidt employs a sophisticated range of tonal values to replicate the chiaroscuro effects characteristic of Rembrandt. The figures are arranged around a table, with Lot seated centrally, holding a chalice. His daughters lean towards him, their expressions and gestures conveying a sense of intimacy and urgency. The composition relies on the contrast between the illuminated faces and hands of the figures and the deep, atmospheric shadows that occupy the background. A metal flagon sits on the table in the foreground, its reflective surface rendered with careful attention to texture and light.

Below the image, the inscription identifies the work as dedicated to Prince Henry of Prussia, reflecting the social and political context of eighteenth-century print collecting. The etching demonstrates Schmidt's ability to translate the painterly qualities of an oil original into the linear medium of the copper plate. By using varied hatching and cross-hatching techniques, he achieves a sense of volume and depth that mimics the soft transitions of light found in the original painting. This work serves as an example of the eighteenth-century practice of disseminating famous paintings through high-quality reproductive prints, allowing collectors to own versions of works held in royal or private collections.