Zittende werkman 1857

"Zittende werkman" (Sitting Worker) is a pencil drawing by Anton Mauve, created in 1857. The artwork, housed at the Rijksmuseum, depicts a working-class man seated with a pensive expression, his attire and posture suggestive of hard labor. Mauve's meticulous attention to detail, particularly in the rendering of the man's clothing and footwear, provides a glimpse into the lives of working people in 19th-century Netherlands. The drawing's realistic depiction, combined with a sense of quiet melancholy, makes it a poignant and captivating example of Mauve's early style.