Ploegende paarden 1867 - 1935

Maurits van der Valk rendered "Plowing Horses" with chalk on paper, and although undated, we can situate it within the changing socio-economic dynamics of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This was a time when the industrial revolution was transforming labor practices, challenging traditional agricultural life. The artwork's focus on horses plowing evokes a sense of the era’s agrarian roots. But look closer, and you might find a subtle commentary on labor and class. The horses, central to the work, are shown performing the strenuous task of plowing, representative of the physical demands placed on both animals and the working class. The dark, muted tones and somewhat blurred lines evoke the somber realities of labor. In rendering this scene, Van der Valk perhaps sought to capture a disappearing way of life while also highlighting the socio-economic tensions inherent in changing modes of production. This piece invites reflection on how progress affects different strata of society, and what is lost when we move from one era to the next.