Bedelaar lopend op krukken after 1635

This print of a beggar on crutches was made by Frederick Bloemaert, probably in the mid-17th century. Bloemaert likely used the etching technique, applying an acid-resistant coating to a metal plate, drawing through it to expose the metal, then bathing the plate in acid. The incised lines would then hold ink, allowing the image to be printed. The very subject of this work - a man in poverty, struggling to walk - has an implicit relationship with the modes of production and the social hierarchies of the time. Bloemaert's careful rendering, and the way he meticulously describes the man's tattered clothes, draws the viewer's attention to the man's material condition. The work becomes a form of social commentary, inviting reflection on issues of labor, class, and the human cost of economic systems. By examining the material reality depicted and the skilled printmaking process used, we can see how the artist blurs the lines between craft and fine art, embedding social meaning within the artwork itself.