De Notenkraker, 27 april 1907 / 1 mei 1907. De drie achten Possibly 1907

This cover of "De Notenkraker," printed in April and May of 1907, is a study in the power of the line. Albert Hahn renders a world of labor and leisure, all bound by the "three eights": eight hours of work, eight hours of rest, and eight hours of leisure. I can imagine Hahn, bent over the lithographic stone, carefully etching each detail – the worker digging, the sleeper in bed, the reader with their book. It's almost like he's saying, "Look, this is what a balanced life could look like.” These aren't just drawings, they are quiet acts of rebellion. In these flat images, Hahn reminds me of later artists like Philip Guston, who similarly returned to figuration to address political themes through deceptively simple images. It's a reminder that artists are always responding to the world around them and to each other, grappling with how to depict the complexities of life, work, and everything in between.