Zittend meisje in een landschap met grazende koeien 1834 - 1911

Jozef Israëls created this sketch, "Zittend meisje in een landschap met grazende koeien", depicting a seated girl in a landscape with grazing cows. Israëls was a leading figure in the Hague School, a group of Dutch realist painters who captured the everyday lives of ordinary people. Israëls, deeply moved by the plight of the impoverished, sought to portray the dignity and humanity of those living on the margins of society. The image evokes a sense of quiet contemplation. The young girl, possibly a shepherdess, seems lost in thought, her connection to the land palpable. This sketch invites us to reflect on the lives of young, working-class women in the 19th century, and the way their stories often go untold. What were her dreams, her fears, her hopes for the future? Perhaps Israëls is encouraging us to consider the importance of empathy and social justice, and the power of art to shed light on the experiences of those who are often overlooked.