The strolling musicians

Rembrandt etched this intimate scene around 1635, depicting itinerant street musicians performing for a peasant family. An old man cranks a hurdy-gurdy while his younger companion plays bagpipes. A small child grins with delight, while a little dog huddles in fear at the unfamiliar sounds.

Early in his career, Rembrandt made numerous prints of beggars, vagabonds, and street performers, showing notable sympathy for society's margins. The etching measures just 14 x 12 cm but contains extraordinary detail. Impressions exist at the Rijksmuseum, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Cleveland Museum of Art.