Zittende vrouw met juk 1766 - 1815

Jacob van Strij’s drawing presents us with a seated woman, rendered with delicate graphite lines on paper. Her posture and props evoke a sense of weary repose, with her form softened by the large hat and the shadow play of the surrounding nature. Van Strij’s composition invites us to consider the semiotics of rural life. The yoke, prominently displayed, is a symbol of labor. But this is juxtaposed with her relaxed pose and the pastoral setting, creating a tension between work and rest. The artist's rendering of her garments with gentle shading suggests both volume and texture. While the landscape is softly sketched in the background, the sharp detail in the foreground draws our attention to her humanity. The single wooden shoe resting on the ground becomes a signifier of groundedness and connection to the earth, while also destabilizing any romantic notion of rural life. The drawing thus functions as a site where traditional values meet with new ways of contemplating labor and landscape.