← School of Rembrandt van Rijn

A Hawker Showing an Animal in a Cage to a Woman and Her Child

Original title: A Hawker Showing an Animal in a Cage to a Woman and Her Child

Artist

School of Rembrandt van Rijn

Date

mid-17th century

Medium

Reed pen and brown ink, pen and gray washes; verso in pen and dark brown ink.

Dimensions

5 1/4 x 5 1/8 in. (13.4 x 13 cm)

Credit line

Robert Lehman Collection, 1975

kurzbeschreibung

This sheet from the circle of Rembrandt dates to the mid-17th century: a peddler holds out a caged animal to a seated woman and her child. The scene is drawn with a reed pen in brown ink, while gray washes establish shadows and contours. The paper measures 13.4 by 13 cm, and further sketches appear on the verso.

Description

A man in a cap and jacket stands at the front on a barely indicated platform, lifting a cage with an animal inside. Facing him sits a woman with a child on her lap; the child clings to the mother's arm and looks curiously toward the cage. The figures remain loose and sketchy, with brown tones carrying the drawing and gray washes giving weight to shadows and outlines. Light comes from the left, as can be seen in the shading on the figures and the cage. The background stays empty, leaving all attention to the exchange between the figures.

Context

The sheet is regarded as the work of the Rembrandt School—a pupil or follower from his circle. It was made in the Netherlands in the mid-17th century, when scenes of street vendors and market life were in demand. Rembrandt himself often drew similar motifs, some serving as preparatory studies for paintings and others as independent sketches. Reed pen and wash were common tools at the time for quickly dashed-off sketches.

Impact

The loose linework and few tones make the sheet feel immediate and lively. From the confrontation of the figures arises a quiet, observant mood that draws the viewer's gaze into the scene. However sketchy everything remains, the layout feels clear and balanced.

Technique

The drawing was made with a reed pen and brown ink, with gray washes added for the shadows. On the verso are further drawings in dark brown pen. The reed pen allows strong, varied lines, while the wash provides soft tonal values.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)