Aardappelrooiers c. 1886 - 1888

Editor: This is Anton Mauve's "Aardappelrooiers," or "Potato Harvesters," a pencil drawing on paper from around 1886 to 1888. The scene feels so stark and laborious. What can you tell me about it? Curator: It’s compelling, isn't it? Mauve, as a realist painter and cousin-in-law to Van Gogh, gives us a glimpse into the difficult lives of rural workers. Consider the date, the late 1880s; this was a period of increasing industrialization, yet large parts of the population were still heavily dependent on agricultural labor. Editor: It really highlights their reliance on the land. There is also this inherent contrast, no? On one hand the quiet, slow farming world, versus the hurried and busy city centers. Curator: Precisely. Now, observe the figures. They are bent over, immersed in the act of harvesting, almost as one with the land. It is a deliberate choice. Mauve wants us to reflect upon the socio-economic disparities of the time, perhaps prompting a dialogue on labor rights and land ownership. How does that relate to contemporary societal problems? Editor: Wow, I didn't consider that at all. I was caught up in its gloomy aesthetic, but now I see it as a statement about the socio-economic conditions of rural workers and perhaps even land distribution! Curator: Exactly! It invites us to examine not just the beauty of the sketch, but also the social structures it reflects and critiques. Editor: That's given me so much to think about, thank you!