Milking Time 1800 - 1815

Jacob van Strij painted "Milking Time" with oil on canvas, a common medium for fine art. Yet it's worth noting that the subject is not particularly elevated. Instead, the painting foregrounds the work of women engaged in a rural task. The muted colors and careful detail given to the pastoral scene and the earthenware jugs speak to a keen observation of everyday life. The painting appears to celebrate the labor of agricultural work. But it also gently elevates it, by giving it the compositional weight we might expect in a history painting. Van Strij has taken the time to render the qualities of the milkmaid's labour through the materials she uses. Her simple tools, made of humble clay, sit as a testament to the work involved in bringing milk to the table, usually performed by women. Paying attention to materials, making, and context helps us appreciate how art can blur the lines between the fine and applied arts, giving dignity to often-overlooked work.