Bedelares met kalebas

Bedelares met kalebas is a significant print by Rembrandt van Rijn, created on paper in 1629. This early work dates from the beginning of the Dutch Golden Age, a time when the artist was rapidly developing his distinctive style and technical approach to printmaking. The subject focuses on a marginalized figure, depicting a beggar woman who holds a large gourd, a common prop indicating her poverty and reliance on charity.

During this period, Rijn frequently explored the visual interest of everyday, non-idealized subjects, often executing these character studies, or tronies, in etched form. Although the specific printmaking technique is often generalized as "Print," Rijn was likely experimenting with etching and drypoint in 1629, utilizing the capacity of the copper plate to achieve precise line work and rich textures that convey the woman’s worn garments and aged face.

The piece, dated to Rijn’s formative years in Leiden, showcases his early mastery of conveying realism and psychological depth in small format. Unlike the more idealized subjects favored by contemporary continental artists, Rijn’s depiction of the working poor positioned these Dutch prints as important documents of contemporary social life. Given the age and classification of the piece, high-quality images of this important work have often entered the public domain. This print resides within the internationally recognized collection of the Rijksmuseum, confirming its status as a key example of seventeenth-century Dutch graphic art.