Rondtrekkende boerenfamilie Possibly 1650 - 1808

This etching by Rembrandt van Rijn depicts a traveling peasant family, and was likely made in the Netherlands in the 1650s. The image gives us insight into the social fabric of the time. Featuring common folk, Rembrandt here breaks with the tradition of portraying the wealthy elite. Instead, we see a family on the move, perhaps displaced by economic hardship or war, which were common in 17th century Europe. The father, with his walking stick, leads the way, while the mother and child follow, their figures fading into the background. The level of detail given to the father’s clothing indicates the family’s poverty. To understand this work more fully, one could research the economic conditions of the Dutch Golden Age. What emerges is that this seemingly prosperous period was not without its social inequalities. Rembrandt's art, therefore, serves as a visual record and a commentary on the social realities of his time.