The blind fiddler after 1631

This etching, titled 'The Blind Fiddler', was made in 1636 by an anonymous artist. It depicts a blind musician in what appears to be a village scene. Images of beggars and vagrants became popular in the Netherlands during the 17th century. Artists were responding to rapid economic and social changes, including increased urbanization, that resulted in greater disparities of wealth. These images of ‘low-life’ could serve several functions: they could be a form of social critique, a means of creating sympathy or, more often, a form of entertainment for wealthier audiences. This particular work might be playing into stereotypes of the wandering minstrel, while at the same time, it hints at the precarity of life for those outside the dominant social order. To get a clearer sense of the image’s social role, art historians might look to contemporary literature, popular songs, or even records of public assistance.