Sheet of Studies, with a Self-portrait, a Beggar Couple, and Heads of an Old Man and Old Woman

The Sheet of Studies, with a Self-portrait, a Beggar Couple, and Heads of an Old Man and Old Woman, executed by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1632, is a superb example of the artist’s experimental approach to the print medium. This work, rendered on paper, functions as a visual laboratory, allowing the young artist to rapidly capture diverse facial expressions and figure types that would inform his larger narrative paintings and prints. Created early in Rijn’s successful career in Amsterdam, the sheet demonstrates his immediate observational skills and mastery of expressive line work.

The composition is densely populated with disparate subjects integrated onto a single sheet. The prominent inclusion of a youthful self-portrait reveals Rijn’s practice of studying his own features for dramatic effect, often for use in historical compositions where emotional intensity was required. Juxtaposed against his image are detailed observations of poverty, specifically the depiction of a beggar couple, providing insight into the Dutch master's engagement with ordinary life and marginalized people he encountered.

Furthermore, the print features highly expressive heads of an old man and an old woman. These detailed studies are typical examples of tronies, or character heads, which Rijn used to build a visual repertoire of realistic and emotion-filled faces for later inclusion in major oil paintings or biblical prints. This period, the early 1630s, marked Rijn’s establishment as a premier portraitist and printmaker, and works like this attest to his meticulous preparation and technical skill. This important print is part of the distinguished collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Due to its historical significance and age, this masterwork is often available for study and reproduction as part of the public domain, ensuring that Rijn’s preparatory prints remain accessible to scholars and students globally.