Blind Beggar Bumping A Pillar; this and 63.616.39 (2) are two plates of beggars from the story of Lazaville de Tormes.

Art Historical Context

In the bustling world of 17th-century Dutch genre, Thomas Wijck masterfully captures a poignant moment from the classic Spanish picaresque *Lazarillo de Tormes*. This etching depicts a blind beggar clumsily bumping into a pillar accompanied by scavenging dogs—a vivid illustration of the protagonist's early hardships as a street urchin guided by a cruel master. Wijck, a Dutch artist renowned for his lively scenes of everyday lowlife, infuses the composition with humor and pathos, reflecting the era's fascination with social underclasses during the Dutch Golden Age. Printed as an etching with drypoint in the third state of three, this intimate 13.1 x 11.9 cm plate showcases Wijck's technical prowess. Etching allowed for precise lines evoking architectural columns and textured fur, while drypoint's soft burr adds velvety depth and richness to the figures' ragged forms. As one of two beggar-themed plates from the tale (paired with 63.616.39), it highlights printmaking's role in disseminating literary narratives to a wide audience. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Elisha Whittelsey Collection, this work exemplifies how 17th-century prints bridged literature, satire, and social commentary, inviting viewers to ponder the resilience of the marginalized amid opulent times.

About the Artist

Thomas Wijck · 1616–1677

**Thomas Wijck** (also spelled Wijk or Wyck; 1616–1677) was a Dutch Golden Age painter renowned for his Italianate port scenes, genre paintings, and depictions of alchemists and scholars. Born in Beverwijk into an artist family, he received his initial training from his father before traveling to Italy around 1640. There he spent time in Rome and the environs of Naples, producing numerous sketches...