Aardappelschillende vrouw 1897 - 1928

Jan Toorop made this etching, Aardappelschillende vrouw, which translates as Potato Peeling Woman, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. The real beauty of a print like this is that it’s all about the process, about the artist’s hand, even though it's indirect. Look closely, and you’ll see the intricate web of lines Toorop etched into the metal plate. Some are light and delicate, others are deep and assertive. It’s almost like he’s sketching with acid, carving out this quiet scene of a woman peeling potatoes in what looks like her yard. I find myself drawn to the way the lines create texture – the rough brick of the building behind her, the weathered wood of the fence, the wizened branches of the tree. They evoke a sense of place and time. Toorop seems like he was part of the conversation that was happening between artists like Van Gogh and Munch. This piece isn’t just a picture; it’s a little stage where the mundane becomes kind of profound.