Old Beggar Woman with a Gourd

Old Beggar Woman with a Gourd is an intimate, early etching created by Rembrandt van Rijn sometime between 1624 and 1634. Classified as a print, this particular impression is the second state of the two known states. During this fertile period, Rembrandt was establishing himself as a master printmaker in Leiden, expertly employing the etching needle to capture texture and emotional depth primarily through delicate line work. Unlike his large narrative paintings, this early work demonstrates the artist's focus on individual character studies, often of the marginalized or elderly women who populated the streets of 17th-century Holland.

The subject is an impoverished woman holding a large gourd, a vessel commonly used for carrying water or wine. Rembrandt frequently turned to figures of the poor and elderly, rendering them not as caricatures, but with profound psychological insight. This focus on realistic, sympathetic portrayals of women, even those facing hardship, is characteristic of the artist’s commitment to naturalism during the Dutch Golden Age. The deep shadows and defining lines, achieved through the intricate process of etching, lend the figure a palpable sense of dignity and age. This rare piece is housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, preserving a crucial example of the master’s early experimentation with prints. The availability of high-resolution reproductions of this historical work through platforms like the Met means that this significant study of human character is often accessible in the public domain, furthering scholarship on Rembrandt's extensive catalog of etchings.