Studieblad, onder andere met een versierde vaas 1848 - 1888

This is Anton Mauve’s ‘Studieblad, onder andere met een versierde vaas’ at the Rijksmuseum, a drawing made by Mauve who lived in the Netherlands from 1838 to 1888. Mauve was a leading figure in the Hague School, a group of Dutch realist painters who sought to capture the everyday lives of the working class. They were deeply influenced by the social and political changes of the 19th century. During this time the Netherlands saw the rise of industrialization and urbanization, which had a profound impact on traditional ways of life. Mauve's focus on the simple lives of ordinary people can be seen as a reaction to the rapidly changing world around him. Here, the sketch gives us insight into the kind of objects that surrounded and inspired him. Mauve shows us the beauty and dignity in these objects, inviting us to contemplate the lives of those who used them. It serves as a poignant reminder of the human connection to the objects we create and use.