Man die geld geeft aan een groep bedelaars c. 1840 - 1860

Charles Rochussen made this pencil drawing of a man giving money to a group of beggars in the Netherlands sometime in the 19th century. It presents a scene of social inequality. One man, dressed in a top hat, sits on a stone plinth. The other figures are poorly dressed. Some are children. They surround a man who is giving them money. In this sketch, Rochussen comments on the stark divisions of wealth in Dutch society. The Dutch Golden Age was long over, and poverty was a growing concern. Rochussen made his art during a time of increasing social awareness. Institutions such as museums and art academies began to reflect the social concerns of the middle class. Rochussen’s image participates in this tradition, prompting viewers to think about the social and political context of charity and poverty. To understand this drawing better, we can look at archives and social histories of the Netherlands during the 19th century. Art is always shaped by the society in which it is made, so we should look for how social awareness and new institutions have informed art.