Aardappelrooiers c. 1886 - 1888

"Aardappelrooiers" (Potato Diggers) is a charcoal sketch by Dutch artist Anton Mauve, created between 1886 and 1888, and is now part of the Rijksmuseum collection. This sketch depicts a group of figures, likely farmers, digging potatoes in a field, with a distant landscape in the background. The loose and gestural style of Mauve's charcoal lines creates a sense of immediacy and movement, capturing the hard work and toil of the subjects. This sketch is a prime example of Mauve's characteristic interest in depicting everyday life and the working class of the Netherlands.