Drie studies van een geknielde boer in een landschap c. 1884 - 1887

This pencil and chalk study by Willem Witsen captures three views of a farmer kneeling in a field. Though humble, these materials offer a direct connection to the subject. Pencil and chalk are earthy, immediate – perfect for sketching en plein air, right in the landscape that Witsen depicts. Look at the quickly rendered lines, the smudging that gives a sense of the farmer’s movement, the way the artist captures light falling across the field. Witsen’s choice of materials mirrors the laborer’s own connection to the earth, his body bent in repetitive motion. While Witsen was from a wealthy family, and moved in elevated artistic circles, here he turns his attention to the working class. The rapid, unrefined quality of the sketch speaks to the sheer labor involved, while also suggesting a social dynamic: the artist observing, perhaps even romanticizing, the peasant’s toil. This work is a reminder that even a simple sketch can carry complex social and political meanings, all embedded in the materials themselves.