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Jacques Bellange

Two Beggars Fighting

1612–16
Etching and engraving, with drypoint, in black on off white laid paper
32 × 21.8 cm (12.6 × 8.6 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

The uneven appearance of Jacques Bellange’s experimental printmaking techniques and his exaggeration of the human body complement this genre scene of two transients—a pilgrim and a hurdy-gurdy player—fighting a mock-epic battle. Their interlocking pyramidal form achieves a certain grandeur and scale, which is lacking in the many contemporary, but more overtly satirical, depictions of beggars.

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