Boerin met schoffel c. 1884 - 1887

Editor: Here we have Willem Witsen's "Boerin met schoffel," or "Woman Farmer with a Hoe," created around 1884-1887. It's a delicate pencil drawing held here at the Rijksmuseum. I’m struck by the rough, almost hurried quality of the sketch. It feels very immediate and real. What captures your attention? Curator: It’s the stark portrayal of labor that grips me. The rough pencil strokes aren't just aesthetic choices; they embody the physical strain of agricultural work. The medium mirrors the message, don't you think? A refined oil painting of a peasant would be disingenuous, wouldn't it? Editor: Absolutely, the rawness contributes to the sense of reality, rather than idealizing farm work. The artist's choice to render the figure in such a way definitely affects how we perceive it. Curator: Consider also the context of the late 19th century. Witsen was part of a burgeoning artistic movement focused on portraying everyday life, challenging the established art world’s preference for historical and mythological subjects. How do the humble materials – pencil and paper – speak to this challenge, to this shifting artistic focus? Editor: So, the very materials themselves become a statement against the established art world. Using such accessible materials democratizes the subject matter. Does the quick, sketchy quality also reflect the changing pace of life during that time, moving away from slow, meticulous craftsmanship? Curator: Precisely! The speed and ease of drawing allowed for a directness and immediacy that resonated with the rapidly changing social and industrial landscape. We can also think about how readily available pencil and paper would have been to a broader segment of the population compared to the tools required for painting, shifting the locus of creation itself. Editor: I never thought about the material itself holding so much meaning! Thinking about the pencil and paper really opens up new ways of interpreting this artwork. Curator: Exactly! Examining art through a material lens encourages us to consider not just what is depicted, but *how* and *why*.