Aardappelrooiers op het land met paard en wagen 1925 - 1927

Curator: Leo Gestel created this pencil drawing titled "Aardappelrooiers op het land met paard en wagen" between 1925 and 1927. It’s currently held at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Stark. That's the immediate impression—a landscape rendered with a heavy hand in charcoal or graphite, very rough hewn figures almost dissolving back into the soil. It conveys a certain weight, both literally and figuratively. Curator: Gestel was working during a period of great change, grappling with modernism while still honoring the traditions of rural life. The potato harvesters, the horse and wagon, all represent a connection to the land, a timeless quality juxtaposed with the anxieties of the era. Editor: Absolutely. Look at how Gestel utilizes the pencil – broad strokes suggesting volume and depth, contrasted with sharp lines defining forms. The composition is particularly interesting. There's a circular rhythm moving from the figures on the left to the horse and cart on the right, creating a sense of continuous labor. Curator: Potatoes, while a staple food now, weren’t always held in high regard. Their adoption as a food source coincided with periods of famine and hardship. Representing them elevates the laborers and makes them into symbols of perseverance. It transforms what would be ordinary toil into something deeply meaningful. Editor: And the restricted palette! It’s almost monochrome, further amplifying that sense of austerity and struggle. The artist uses shading to generate shape, from the slumped shoulders to the weighty dray-horse. It emphasizes the physical cost involved in this labour. Curator: This sketch reveals the deep symbolic connection that agrarian societies have with food production, transforming everyday existence into art. It really underscores a collective narrative. Editor: I agree; the strength of the work relies upon its unvarnished and stark visual construction, as well as this understanding that work holds inherent meaning. It transcends its historical time-point.