De jeneververkoper en de drie bedelaars 1647 - 1674

This is a small etching, roughly 10 by 10 centimeters, made by Jan van Ossenbeeck in the 17th century. The image is composed of fine lines, creating a scene of everyday life, with a vendor and three beggars. Notice how the artist used line and form to create depth, with a building in the background that diminishes in scale. The interplay of light and shadow gives the scene a sense of realism, drawing the viewer's eye to the interaction between the figures. The vendor, laden with bottles, is the active element, while the beggars, in various states of repose, highlight the static quality and destitution. Ossenbeeck masterfully uses the stark contrasts of the etching medium to evoke a range of textures, from the rough cloth of the beggars' garments to the smooth glass of the bottles. It offers a glimpse into the socio-economic conditions of the time. The formal arrangement of the figures, with the vendor standing and the beggars seated or lying down, reinforces a social hierarchy, subtly critiquing the structures of power and inequality.