Beggars Receiving Alms at the Door of a House
1648
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows four people at a door. The man on the left, with a hat and long coat, leans forward like he’s handing something out. Three others—two adults and a child—stand close, reaching up with empty hands. Their clothes look worn, and the child’s face is turned away. The artist used quick, scratchy lines to show texture in the fabrics and wood. The light falls mostly on the left side, leaving the right dark. This makes the figures stand out against the shadowy background. Next, check out etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how Rembrandt made this image.
