Man en een vrouw die vloerkleedjes uitventen Possibly 1913 - 1916

Alfred Ost made this pencil drawing of a man en een vrouw die vloerkleedjes uitventen, or “man and woman peddling rugs,” sometime in the first half of the 20th century. Although unassuming, this drawing can teach us a great deal. Focusing on the material – pencil on paper – and the immediacy of the lines, we can see how the artist prioritized the depiction of labor, the way that class and society impact the way that we live. The heavy rugs weigh on the shoulders of the peddlers as they trudge down the cobbled street. Note the woman’s heavy wooden shoes, impractical for the work at hand. It’s easy to overlook drawings like this, but they are crucial to a full understanding of art history. Looking closely at the artistry and the social reality it reflects, we can challenge the traditional hierarchy that separates fine art from the realities of everyday life.