Two Beggars 1620 - 1660

"Two Beggars" is an etching by Adriaen Matham, a Dutch artist who was active in the early 17th century. The print depicts two beggars, an old man and an old woman, walking along a road. The man is leaning on a crutch, while the woman holds a paper in her hand. Both figures are dressed in tattered clothing, and their faces are etched with lines of age and hardship. Matham’s careful attention to detail, from the worn texture of the beggars’ clothing to the landscape in the background, provides insight into the realities of poverty and hardship in 17th-century Dutch society. The print, currently housed in the Rijksmuseum, captures a moment of stark realism that serves as a poignant reminder of the struggles faced by many in the period.