Studieblad met schetsen van treincoupé met slapende mannen 1871 - 1906

Pieter de Josselin de Jong created this study sheet with sketches of a train compartment with sleeping men using graphite. De Jong, who lived in the Netherlands during a time of significant social change, captured intimate moments of everyday life. Here, we see multiple sketches of men in various states of rest within the confines of a train compartment, a space that blurs the lines between public and private. In these small capsules, social class becomes palpable. The fatigue etched on the faces of these men hints at the working-class realities of the time. De Jong invites us to consider the lives of ordinary people, suspended in transit, their dreams and realities momentarily intertwined. The intimate glimpse into their vulnerability prompts questions about labor, rest, and the human condition.