Public domain
The Alchemist
From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
A 16th-century laboratory of an alchemist. Left on the print a monkey is seen. As an alchemist he is busy at work and has only eyes for his work. Another monkey, an apprentice, blows coals on the right. In the middle of the print stands the wife of the alchemist with their two children. At the holes in the wall and in the clothes of the monkey it can be seen that financially it is not going well with the family. Their future does not look rosy. In the background we see them begging along the streets.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own descriptionCredit lineAlchemist. 1558 - 1608. Pieter van der Borcht (I). Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.
