Boerenman met mand op zijn rug 1756 - 1797

"Boerenman met mand op zijn rug" (Peasant with a basket on his back) is an etching by Dutch artist Hendrik Willem Schweickhardt, created between 1756 and 1797. The piece, currently housed in the Rijksmuseum, depicts a solitary figure, a peasant carrying a basket on his back, walking across a grassy landscape with boats in the distance. Schweickhardt's realistic style captures the everyday life of Dutch peasantry, highlighting the simple yet enduring nature of their work. The etching is a small work, measuring just 85 mm in height and 54 mm in width, and exemplifies the artist's skill in capturing details and conveying emotion in a limited space. The drawing's simplicity, coupled with the depiction of a humble working figure, suggests the artist's interest in social realism, a theme common in 18th-century Dutch art.