Werklieden bij een afsluiter 1913 - 1945

Henk Henriët's drawing, "Werklieden bij een afsluiter" at the Rijksmuseum presents two workers rendered with a stark, economic use of line, primarily in graphite on paper. The composition is structured around the human figures and architectural elements that suggest a landscape, yet the texture of the drawing remains raw, almost unfinished. This rawness evokes a sense of immediacy and perhaps even a quietude. Henriët's strategic use of line is critical. The hatching creates volume and shadow, particularly on the workers’ clothing. The composition reflects a concern with the working class – the figures are centralized, but the scene remains austere, devoid of ornamentation. Henriët seems less concerned with idealizing his subjects than with rendering them in a manner that matches their labor: straightforward, unadorned, and essential. Through the formal qualities of this drawing, Henriët gives dignity to the subjects, underlining the importance of human labor. The visual language here communicates not just what is seen, but the very act of seeing itself.