Old beggar woman with a gourd, c.1629. Enveloped in partial darkness and clad in ragged clothes, the old beggar woman turns away from the viewer. Rembrandts striking use of black against white denies the viewer a glimpse at the womans face while allowing the viewer to notice the unusual gourd attached to her back, providing a container for water. The viewer cannot discern where the woman is or what she is doing, but she appears alone and somewhat helpless, a subject worthy of compassion.