Zittende boer met kruik 1768 - 1796

Pieter de Mare created this print, "Seated farmer with jug," in the late 18th century using etching. During this time, the Dutch Republic was undergoing significant social and economic changes which led to the erosion of traditional class structures. De Mare was part of a generation of artists interested in the lives of ordinary people. In this work, a farmer is depicted as disheveled, and weary. The jug, a symbol of simple country life, hangs precariously above him, perhaps suggesting the instability of his existence. The farmer's gaze is averted; he seems lost in thought, possibly contemplating his place in a changing world. While the image nods to traditional representations of rural life, it also challenges them by presenting a more complex, less idealized view. The work invites us to consider the emotional and personal dimensions of those who were often overlooked in the grand narratives of history.