Jacques-philippe Le Bas After Rembrandt Christ Before Pilate And The People – Circa 1775

JACQUES-PHILIPPE LE BAS AFTER REMBRANDT Christ Before Pilate and the People – Ecce Homo Etching and engraving – 18th century, c. 1775 A fine early impression depicting *Christ Before Pilate and the People*—known as *Ecce Homo*—after Rembrandt’s famous composition. This interpretation was executed under the direction of Jacques-Philippe Le Bas (1707–1783), a French engraver and *Pensionnaire du Roi* (King’s Pensioner), and published in Paris in 1775. A copy held in Ukrainian public collections bears the inscriptions "Rembrandt pinx." and "Le Bas direx 1775" beneath the image, along with the Paris address of Le Bas and the publishers Esnauts and Rapilly. museum.mincult.gov.ua The publication is also documented as early as January 1775: at that time, Le Bas was offering copies of large Rembrandt prints that had become rare and expensive—notably the *Ecce Homo*—to make them accessible to collectors. Google Sites Technical description and dating Etching and engraving on antique laid rag paper. Physical examination of this impression suggests a date in the last quarter of the 18th century, likely between 1775 and 1790. The dating is based on several corroborating factors: when held against the light, the paper reveals a regular laid pattern characteristic of mould-made paper; the pulp is irregular, containing small inclusions and density variations consistent with antique rag paper; the intaglio printing is well executed, showing no photomechanical dot pattern; the hatching remains fine and distinct, with rich blacks, indicating printing from a relatively fresh plate; and the overall appearance of the paper and ink is consistent with late 18th-century production rather than a later industrial reproduction. The print was trimmed close to the composition’s outer border line at an earlier date, resulting in the loss of the bottom margin and the engraved lettering that would normally bear the details of the artist, publisher, and the date (1775). Exact dimensions to the outer border line: 255 × 206 mm (25.5 × 20.6 cm). Four small, old glue spots on the verso. Good overall condition considering its age. Proposed dating: France, 18th century, circa 1775–1790.