Mannen aan het werk op het land c. 1884 - 1887

"Mannen aan het werk op het land" by Willem Witsen is a pencil drawing held at the Rijksmuseum. Witsen, born in 1860, lived during a time of great social and economic change in the Netherlands, as industrialization began to shift traditional agricultural practices. This sketch gives us a glimpse into the lives of working-class men during that time. Though rendered with a light touch, the image evokes the harshness of agricultural labor. We see figures bent over their tasks, their bodies bearing the weight of the land. It’s interesting to consider how Witsen, who came from a wealthy family, chose to depict these men. Was it an attempt to capture the dignity of their work, or to highlight the disparities of class? The emotional impact of this drawing lies in its understated portrayal of labor and the lives of the men who toiled in the fields. Witsen offers a poignant reflection on the human condition amidst changing times.