The old beggar leaning on his stick.

Drawing, pen and brown ink with traces of red chalk, 14,5 x 10 cm, laid paper, unsigned (sl. browned, underlaid, sm. defect with min. loss of paper at beggar's right foot).

Stuck under passe-partout.

The beggars (Les Gueux) form one of the most popular series published during the career of Callot (1592-1635). The print designs were probably produced towards the end of his sojourn in Florence and were subsequently published as a series of etchings in Nancy, around 1622-1623. Although none of the original preparatory drawings have survived, the etched series enjoyed an almost immediate following among European artists such as Della Bella, Bosse, Israël Henriet, Israël Silvestre and Rembrandt. This drawing bears witness to the success of the print series and can be situated in France shortly after the series' publication. It follows the etching with a great amount of care and artistic refinement, replicating the etched lines. The quality of this draughtsman's execution helps to explain why such drawings have often been interpreted as orginals by Callot. The sheet was part of the collection of Alfred Beurdeley (1847-1919), who owned one of the richest collections of old master drawings and bronzes in Paris.
Prov. Beurdeley (Coll. stamp L. 421).
Ref. Lieure 495. - D. Ternois, "Catalogue des dessins de Jacques Callot", 1962, pp. 111-112.