Bedelaar met verminkte hand, leunend op een stok

The influential 17th-century artist Rembrandt van Rijn created Bedelaar met verminkte hand, leunend op een stok (Beggar with Mutilated Hand, Leaning on a Stick) in 1629. This intimate work is a key example of the artist's early mastery of printmaking during his formative years in Leiden. Executed on paper, the precise technique-likely etching or drypoint-allows Rijn to achieve a high degree of detailed realism and expressive line work, characterizing his graphic output from this critical period.

The subject matter focuses squarely on poverty and physical affliction, themes Rijn frequently explored through sketches and tronies (expressive character studies) throughout his career. The figure of the beggar, rendered with stark intensity, leans heavily on a thick stick, underscoring his physical dependency and hardship. The title specifically draws the viewer's attention to the mutilated hand, emphasizing the vulnerability experienced by the marginalized in 17th-century Dutch society. Rijn’s choice to depict such figures reflects his commitment to psychological depth and observational realism over the idealized classical forms favored by many contemporaries.

This early print exemplifies Rijn’s rapid development into a major force in the Dutch Golden Age. Works like this demonstrate the technical precision and dramatic use of shadow that would later define his larger graphical output. This historically significant artwork is held within the renowned collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it contributes to a deeper understanding of the graphic arts tradition of the era. As many of Rijn's historical prints are considered seminal documents of European art history, they are often digitized and made available globally through public domain initiatives, ensuring widespread scholarly access.