Twee vrouwen in klederdracht en een klomp 1874

George Clausen made this drawing of two women in traditional dress and a clog with graphite on paper. Clausen was part of a generation of artists who came to maturity in the 1880s, when many felt art should be directed towards recognizably modern social purposes. Clausen sought a middle path, not simply copying what he saw but selecting, arranging, and modifying nature to fit particular aesthetic and social conceptions. The work represents the rural poor in a way that elevates them. At the time, a lot of artwork was commissioned by wealthy patrons and, as such, glorified the rich and powerful. The institutions of art did not represent everyday people and everyday life. To fully appreciate the work, it's worth consulting historical records about the traditions of dress in rural communities at the time this work was made. As historians, we need to ask about the social conditions that enable the production of an image such as this.