Gående bonde set fra ryggen 1627 - 1648

Andries Both created this drawing of a walking peasant seen from the back, using pen and brown ink on blue paper. Both was part of a wave of Dutch and Flemish artists who traveled to Italy and turned their eye to the lives of the working class. The figure’s posture, burdened with a basket and walking stick, speaks to the realities of rural labor in the 17th century. But this isn't just a neutral observation. Consider the power dynamics at play: Who is typically the artist, and who is the subject? These “low-life” genre scenes were popular with wealthier urban audiences, offering them a glimpse into a world both familiar and foreign. Both's work invites us to consider the representation of laboring bodies – their dignity, their hardship, and the lens through which we view them. The sketch captures a fleeting moment, but also a lasting narrative about the lives of ordinary people.