Rondtrekkende boerenfamilie

Rondtrekkende boerenfamilie (Wandering peasant family) is a masterful study on paper created by the celebrated Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn between 1650 and 1654. Classified as a work intended for a book or print album, this intimate piece captures a quiet moment of domestic travel. The subject depicts a small group of itinerant figures, likely a family, making their way across a sparsely rendered landscape. Rijn’s technique, utilizing delicate lines and washes on paper, emphasizes the weariness and connection between the figures, demonstrating the deep human empathy often present in his genre studies.

Created during the latter half of the Dutch Golden Age, this work reflects the era's growing interest in observing and illustrating everyday life. Rijn was highly skilled at capturing the realities of the common people without idealization, using light and shadow to grant monumental weight to otherwise humble subjects. The detailed execution, even in a small format, suggests its value for study and collecting, likely circulated as one of many highly-regarded prints documenting the artist’s prolific output. This poignant example of 17th-century draughtsmanship is housed within the prestigious collection of the Rijksmuseum, offering insight into the evolution of Rijn's work on paper. As an important historical artifact, the artwork often forms part of exhibitions focused on drawings and prints, and reproductions are sometimes made available through public domain initiatives for academic research.