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In his lifetime, Rembrandt was widely known for his etchings. On a vacation in Amsterdam a few years ago I enjoyed visiting the Rembrandt museum occupying a house Rembrandt owned in the 1600's. The museum amply demonstrated his productivity, especially his print-making. Rembrandt operated his presses like a factory, turning out work in volume from which he profited greatly.

Rembrandt didn't invent etching (goes back to 15th century), but his talent in that art form is unsurpassed. Characteristic of true masters he was no purist, rather quite willing to use many techniques and reworking the copper plates several times over to get the image he was after.

Quite fitting that our technologies are being used to let us study in detail the accomplishments of our predecessors, those who were innovators in their own time. Such online archives are definitely a contribution to all of us.