Meisje met hark c. 1928 - 1941

Curator: Look at this captivating ink drawing, "Meisje met hark," or "Girl with Rake," by Miep de Feijter, created sometime between 1928 and 1941. Editor: It's remarkably simple, but there's an energy here! The lean lines really make the girl’s motion come alive, though what grabs me is the contrast—the seriousness of her labor versus the almost playful pattern on her dress. Curator: The polka-dot dress, right. It speaks to how domestic roles were both embraced and perhaps constrained, particularly for women during this interwar period. Images like these reflect prevailing ideas about labor and childhood innocence. Do you feel she might even function as a kind of cultural shorthand? Editor: Absolutely. That downward gaze is almost universal; the concentration required to accomplish a task is timeless. I think many viewers will recognize the symbolic nature of the rake itself, connecting to seasonal change and ideas around harvest and order, both of which resonate powerfully. Curator: You touch on a crucial aspect. In viewing art, one must consider artistic traditions and their historical context, too. The girl embodies the traditional feminine role with an element of the time while reminding us that De Feijter operated in a patriarchal structure; there may have been limited agency afforded to artists like her. Editor: Indeed. Despite any possible limitations in artistic agency or visibility during the interwar, it still carries deep visual metaphors—labor, youth, and societal expectations bundled into one striking, lasting sketch. It encourages us to question what such seemingly simple pieces tell us about broader themes and perceptions from our past. Curator: I concur. De Feijter’s “Girl with Rake” serves as an understated but telling portrait of both an era and the individual navigating it, all conveyed through economical lines. Editor: Agreed, it is interesting to view art from this point of view! It truly lets the iconography illuminate complex narratives.