Altijd bezig 1903 - 1919

This is 'Altijd Bezig' or 'Always Busy' by Arie Willem Segboer, which appears to be a print of some kind. The colours are muted and earthy, typical of mass-produced images from the past. It feels like a snapshot of daily life, a slice of old-world domesticity. The image is split into segments, each one depicting a different activity. Watering plants, sewing, reading, playing music, sweeping the floor – these aren't dramatic or momentous events. Segboer focuses on the quiet, unremarkable moments that make up a life. The printing looks like a lithograph, a process that allows for soft, subtle gradations of tone. Look closely, and you can see a slight blurring of the lines, a gentle haze that softens the edges. There is a charm in the flatness of the image. This brings to mind the work of outsider artists like Henry Darger, who created epic, fantastical narratives using simple, direct imagery. It's like Segboer is saying, "Here is life, in all its messy, mundane glory."