The seller of rat-poison.

Jan Georg (Joris) van Vliet (1605-68) was born in Leiden and entered Rembrandt's studio in about 1630-31. No paintings are known to him, but the volume in the Pelican History of Art devoted to Dutch Art and Architecture 1600-1800 by Jakob Rosenberg, Seymour Slive and E.H. ter Kuile, says he is "important as an etcher" (p. 148). At least some of his etchings were apperantly "executed under Rembrandt's close supervision", possibly, according to C.H. Hind, using Rembrandt's own drawings as models, just as Marcantonio Ramimondi did with Raphael and members of Rubens' studio did under the master's direction. In addition to etchings after Rembrandt's drawings and paintings, Van Vliet also executed a few etchings after Jan Lievens and Joris van Schooten.

Although not in the famous series of etchings The beggars, there is a kinship between this print and The rat-catcher (Te Papa 1869-0001-440). The rat-poison pedlar is his social and economic superior. He holds his trade-mark, cage-like trap in one hand and a piece of poison in the other.  Other rat-catching/killing accessories are displayed on the table, and  the table at centre in front of which four customers, have gathered, one of them inspecting poison. Van Vliet observes the intent expressions and far from beautiful features of these socially lowly people with wry amusement.

See: http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/bio/v/vliet_j/biograph.html

Dr Mark Stocker   Curator, Historical International Art      July 2017