Beggar in a High Cap, Standing and Leaning on a Stick

Beggar in a High Cap, Standing and Leaning on a Stick, created by Rembrandt van Rijn Dutch, 1606-1669, is an exceptional example of the artist’s early mastery of printmaking. Executed between 1624 and 1634, this important work is an etching produced on ivory laid paper. The process relies on incising a design into a copper plate coated with wax, allowing Rembrandt to achieve a level of fine detail and texture crucial for defining human character through line and shadow.

The composition focuses intimately on the solitary figure, characterized by his distinctive high cap and heavy, layered cloak, leaning heavily upon a stick. Rembrandt frequently depicted the marginalized figures of Amsterdam, using these observations to practice etching techniques and explore psychological depth. These early prints from the Netherlands are renowned for their expressive quality and economical use of form. The careful rendering of light and shadow, highlighting the face against the dark clothing, emphasizes the figure’s vulnerability, a hallmark of Rembrandt’s empathetic approach to documenting the poor.

This period, 1624-1634, marks the beginning of Rembrandt’s prolific career as a printmaker, in which he constantly experimented with the possibilities of the medium. His innovation with etching techniques established him as the preeminent graphic artist of the seventeenth century. Today, this significant print is preserved within the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, offering scholars and the public access to one of the most compelling visual records of seventeenth-century Dutch life. High-resolution images of historical prints like this are often made available through public domain initiatives worldwide.