Georges de la Tour often painted several variation on the same subject #Gajakjs.and his surviving output is relatively small.

His son Étienne was his pupil, and distinguishing between their work in versions of La Tour's compositions is difficult.

The version of the Education of the Virgin in the frik collection in New York is an example, as the Museum itself admits.

Another group of paintings (example left), of great skill but claimed to be different in style to those of La Tour, have been attributed to an unknown "Hurdy-gurdy Master".

All show older male figures (one group in Malibu includes a female), mostly solitary, either beggars or saints.