Portret van de bedelaar Hendrik Delbroeck

About this artwork

Aan deze staat zijn een kader en de signatuur de de prentmaker toegevoegd.

Art Historical Context

**Portrait of the Beggar Hendrik Delbroeck** Hendrik van der Burgh (1809–1858), a Dutch lithographer active in the early 19th century, created this poignant portrait capturing the likeness of Hendrik Delbroeck, a beggar. Rendered in lithography—a revolutionary printing technique invented around 1798 that allowed for nuanced tonal effects and mass production—this work measures 390 × 295 mm. Lithography's greasy crayon on stone enabled van der Burgh to achieve remarkable detail in facial expressions and textures, making affordable prints accessible beyond elite circles. This piece reflects the era's growing fascination with everyday subjects, particularly the marginalized, amid industrialization and social upheaval in the Netherlands. By immortalizing a beggar, van der Burgh humanized the lower classes, echoing Romantic interests in individual stories and early realist tendencies. The print's specific state includes an added frame and the printmaker's signature, a common enhancement in later editions that elevated its status as a collectible artwork. Visitors will appreciate how this modest yet evocative lithograph bridges art and social commentary, offering a window into 19th-century life through one man's weathered gaze. (178 words)