Zittende oude boer 1834 - 1911

"Zittende oude boer" (Sitting Old Farmer) is a pencil drawing by Jozef Israëls, a Dutch painter known for his realistic portrayal of everyday life. This quick sketch, created sometime between 1834 and 1911, captures the essence of an elderly farmer seated on a chair, his hands clasped in his lap, his worn clothes and heavy boots hinting at a life of hard work. The simple yet expressive lines of the drawing, held in the Rijksmuseum, evoke a sense of quiet contemplation and the passage of time. The work is an example of Israëls's signature style of depicting the lives of ordinary people with empathy and sincerity.