Men and Women Beggars
Medium
etching on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet (trimmed to plate mark): 8.5 × 25.3 cm (3 3/8 × 9 15/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
R.L. Baumfeld Collection
Accession Number
1969.15.6
Art Historical Context
"Men and Women Begg," an etching on laid paper by Wences Hollar after Jacques Call, dates to 1630 and captures a poignant slice of 17th-century life. Hollar, a skilled Bohemian printmaker known for his meticulous reproductions, faithfully rendered Callot's original design—a French master etcher renowned for his intricate, narrative scenes. This horizontally oriented sheet, measuring just 85 × 25.3 cm, exemplifies the intimate scale of Baroque-era prints, allowing for detailed vignettes within a compact format. The artwork depicts beggars in ragged attire, evoking the widespread poverty and so...