Korenschoven en vrouwen die een mand op de schouder dragen c. 1863 - 1864

Maria Vos made this pencil drawing, "Korenschoven en vrouwen die een mand op de schouder dragen," sometime in the 19th century. Vos lived and worked in a time when women artists were often relegated to specific genres, such as still life and genre scenes. Here, Vos sketches women engaged in agricultural labor. The drawing offers a glimpse into the lives of working-class women, whose physical labor was essential to the rural economy. There is a quiet dignity in the depiction of these women. They are not idealized figures, but rather appear as ordinary individuals going about their daily work. Vos dignifies the often unseen labor of women. The choice of subject matter reflects Vos's interest in depicting everyday life. This work provides insight into the social and economic realities of 19th-century rural communities, while offering a poignant reflection on the lives and labor of women in that context.