Staand meisje met pluimveemand 1838

This print, "Standing Girl with Poultry Basket," by Pierre Louis Dubourcq, is a reminder that art materials can direct our attention to often overlooked subjects. It is made using etching and a drypoint technique. Notice how the artist focuses our attention on the girl’s basket and clogs. The texture of the basket, made of woven plant material, suggests the rural, working-class setting. And it signifies the labor involved in poultry farming. The clogs, too, are significant. As everyday footwear for the working class in the Netherlands, they ground the figure in a specific socio-economic reality. It encourages us to consider the labor and social class implied in the scene. Dubourcq elevates these everyday objects. In doing so, he invites us to consider the value and dignity of labor and the lives of ordinary people, and blurs the boundaries between fine art and craft.