Interieur met een zittende figuur 1854 - 1914

Albert Neuhuys made this drawing, ‘Interior with a Seated Figure,’ with graphite, likely in the late 19th century. It depicts a person sitting, perhaps at rest, in a rustic setting. Neuhuys was part of the Hague School, a group of Dutch artists who focused on realistic depictions of rural life. This drawing reflects the school's broader interest in portraying the everyday experiences of the working class. In the Netherlands, art institutions and academies were beginning to emphasize realism and the depiction of national life, often with an eye to social reform. The focus on rural life can be seen as a commentary on the rapid industrialization and urbanization occurring in the Netherlands at the time. These artists celebrated the traditional ways of life that they saw as being threatened by modernity. To understand this drawing better, we can look at the history of the Hague School, the socio-economic conditions of the Netherlands during the late 19th century, and critical studies of realism in art. Art is always situated, reflecting and responding to the social and institutional contexts in which it is created.