Quite a few of Rembrandt's early etchings represent beggars and street characters. The direct inspiration for these works is surely Jacques Callot's series of beggars of 1622. Rembrandt's earliest attempts in this genre tend to reflect the influence of Callot in technique as well as theme. Very quickly, however, Rembrandt moved in the direction of greater detail. In the years 1630-31 Rembrandt produced a rather large number of small study sheets of beggars, though the results cannot be considered a "series" like Callot's. We can only guess at Rembrandt's deeper reasons for creating so many etchings of beggars. Whatever his motivation may have been, however, it soon became clear that the public was delighted with this new genre. Scholars have often interpreted the series as a deeply felt commentary on social injustice and a gesture of solidarity with the poorest of the poor.