Zittende boer, leunend op een tafeltje 1644 - 1649

Isaac van Ostade made this drawing of a seated farmer leaning on a table, sometime in the 1640s, using pen and brown ink, with a grey wash, on paper. The effect is tonal and immediate. Ostade’s process, with the quickly applied wash, is entirely suited to his subject. The farmer is slumped over the table, clearly exhausted. You can almost feel the rough texture of his clothes, and the weight of his body, as he rests wearily. The composition is rooted in the work of everyday life. It’s important to remember that in the 17th century, paper and ink were themselves valuable commodities, reflective of a sophisticated economy. A drawing like this, therefore, is not just a picture of labor; it is itself an object produced by labor, both the farmer’s and the artist’s. By paying close attention to the materials and the way they are handled, we come to see this image not just as a representation, but as a product of its time.