Knielende figuur met schoffel en kruik 1893 - 1931

Jac Jongert made this drawing, "Kneeling Figure with Hoe and Jug", with pen in hand. The marks, like tiny, deliberate scratches, bring her into focus, and hold her there. It's like he's building her up line by line. I love the way the ink is used to create a sense of volume, even though it's just lines on paper. The thinness of the lines, especially around her face, gives her a certain fragility. And the fact that it's a drawing, not a painting, makes it feel more intimate, like we're seeing her in a private moment. Look at the way the fabric drapes around her body – it’s all suggested with the barest of means. There’s so much light within those lines, it’s almost as if you could touch the warmth of the sun on her skin. It reminds me of the drawings of Paula Modersohn-Becker, with its focus on the everyday lives of women. There is a sense of simple dignity, a kind of quiet strength in the face of labor. It's a reminder that art can be found in the most ordinary of places.