Zittende man met hoed en klompen 1855 - 1892

This etching, by Bernardus Johannes Blommers, captures a seated man with a hat and clogs. Blommers, working in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, often depicted scenes of everyday life, particularly those of the working class in the Netherlands. This image is striking in its stark portrayal of labor and identity. The man's simple attire—the hat and clogs—speak to a life marked by toil, rooted in a specific cultural and economic context. His hands, clasped in his lap, hint at untold stories and the quiet dignity of a life shaped by manual labor. There’s an emotional weight here, a sense of contemplation. What does it mean to represent labor? How do these images uphold or subvert traditional depictions of class and identity? This etching encourages us to reflect on the lives of those whose stories are often overlooked.