Arbeider bij een vuur 1904

Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst made this image of a worker by a fire using etching. The monochromatic palette, heavy on shades of grey and black, is punctuated only by the yellow and white of the fire which illuminates the worker. I imagine Holst in his studio, carefully layering lines to build up tone and texture. He’s capturing the raw, physical labor of the working man. I wonder if he was trying to show dignity or heroism in this figure, standing in the heat of his labor. The fire is alive, almost a character in itself, licking at the darkness, threatening to engulf the scene. Looking at this print, I am reminded of other artists interested in labor and the working classes like Käthe Kollwitz. I can see the influence of Symbolism, with its interest in conveying mood and emotion through visual forms. It’s a reminder of how artists borrow from one another, engaging in a dialogue across time and place. Holst shows how we can find beauty and meaning in unexpected places.