Voorover buigende boerin 1848 - 1888

Anton Mauve created this sketch, titled 'Voorover buigende boerin,' which translates to 'Peasant Woman Bending Over' sometime before his death in 1888. Mauve, a Dutch realist painter, often depicted scenes of rural life, reflecting the prevailing artistic interest in capturing the everyday experiences of the working class. In this drawing, Mauve portrays a woman in a posture of labor, bent over and seemingly absorbed in her work. The sketch captures a sense of the physical demands and perhaps the weariness of agricultural labor. This image reflects the socio-economic realities of 19th-century rural life, where women often played a crucial role in agricultural production, yet were frequently overlooked in broader social and cultural narratives. Mauve's sympathetic portrayal invites us to reflect on the lives and experiences of these women.