Wagen met hakhout getrokken door twee paarden c. 1896 - 1897

Willem de Zwart created this small etching, titled 'Wagen met hakhout getrokken door twee paarden', or 'Cart with brushwood drawn by two horses'. The composition presents an intimate portrayal of labor through the close, textured lines that define the scene. Note how de Zwart uses hatching to build depth and shadow, giving substance to the figures and landscape. The stark contrast between the dark, detailed foreground and the lighter, sketchier background evokes a sense of depth and perspective. Consider how this etching, with its emphasis on the materiality of the lines and the simplicity of its subject, engages with broader artistic concerns of the time. The rough, unpolished quality of the etching destabilizes traditional notions of beauty and finish, reflecting a shift toward realism. It presents a direct, unromanticized view of rural life and labour.