Bedelaar met kruik in de hand 1764

"Bedelaar met kruik in de hand" (Beggar with a Jug in his Hand) is a 1764 etching by German artist Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietrich (1712-1774). The etching, now in the Rijksmuseum, depicts a seated beggar with a sorrowful expression, holding a jug and gesturing with his other hand. The work is characterized by Dietrich's precise and detailed style, evident in the rendering of the beggar's anatomy and the textural quality of the surrounding foliage. The etching is a poignant portrayal of a social outcast and exemplifies Dietrich's skill in capturing human emotion.