At the Pawnbroker's

The desolate economic situation forced all classes to part with their worldly goods: in their need a craftsman's family pawns the Sunday coat, a maid and a man bring articles of daily use. At the time of the painting there were many independent Jews in Prussia working as junk dealers, pawnbrokers and peddlers, because for a long time they were not allowed to practise any other professions. With this painting August von Rentzell consolidated and served the common cliché of the stingy and merciless Jew, who is enriched by the misery of his Christian fellow men.