The Strolling Musicians
1635
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a tired pair of street musicians walking with their hurdy-gurdy and bagpipes. One man’s face is lined with exhaustion. Their worn clothes and downcast eyes feel real and human. Rembrandt painted these figures in the 1630s, when Dutch artists often showed poor performers. The loose brushwork makes their clothes look soft, like they’ve been worn for years. Look up Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606–1669) to see more of his honest portraits.
