Image: Jacques Bellange - Beggar Looking through His Hat - Walters 372647 (cropped)

Description: Full-length depictions of beggars and peasants were distinctive subjects for artists of Lorraine (centered in the city of Nancy). The canvas used for this painting was not carefully prepared, and it may have been only intended for a temporary use, such as for a theatrical production. Given the secretive character of the man depicted, peering at us through a hole in his hat, the painting may have had a particular appeal for its previous owner, the American publisher, diplomat, and arts administrator Michael Straight (1931-2004), who was a spy for some years in the employ of the former Soviet Union before renouncing his past.
Title: Beggar Looking through His Hat
Credit: Walters Art Museum: Home page  Info about artwork
Author: Jacques Bellange
Permission:   This work is free and may be used by anyone for any purpose. If you wish to use this content, you do not need to request permission as long as you follow any licensing requirements mentioned on this page. The Wikimedia Foundation has received an e-mail confirming that the copyright holder has approved publication under the terms mentioned on this page. This correspondence has been reviewed by a Volunteer Response Team (VRT) member and stored in our permission archive. The correspondence is available to trusted volunteers as ticket #2012021710000834. If you have questions about the archived correspondence, please use the VRT noticeboard. Ticket link: https://ticket.wikimedia.org/otrs/index.pl?Action=AgentTicketZoom&TicketNumber=2012021710000834 Find other files from the same ticket:
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No