Bedelaar en bedelares Possibly 1638 - 1665

Salomon Savery etched this work, "Beggar and Beggar Woman," sometime in the 17th century. Here, we see two figures identified as ‘Prinsses’ and ‘Lilborn,’ their tattered clothing speaking volumes about poverty and marginalization in Dutch society. The motif of the beggar is ancient, recurring throughout art history. Consider the medieval images of Lazarus at the rich man’s door or Jacques Callot’s series of beggars. The stick is also prominent here, as a symbol of support, a crutch for the dispossessed. The image of the wandering soul supported by a stick goes back to antiquity, seen in depictions of pilgrims and hermits, embodying themes of hardship and resilience. Such images evoke a collective memory of suffering and survival, tapping into our subconscious understanding of human vulnerability. These figures, marked by destitution, become powerful symbols of human resilience, engaging us on a deep, almost primal level. They remind us that the wheel of fortune is ever-turning, and that empathy is one of the ties that bind us.