Beggar with his left hand extended

Rembrandt van Rijn etched this figure of a beggar reaching out with his left hand, the gesture clear and direct. The subject's extended palm asks for charity without shame. Rembrandt's economical lines capture the essential pose and expression.

The artist made numerous studies of beggars in his younger years, building a vocabulary of human gesture and emotion. These prints sold well and spread Rembrandt's reputation across Europe. The work is held in a major prints collection.