Twee vrouwen met manden in een landschap c. 1886 - 1888

Anton Mauve drew these women with baskets in a landscape using graphite on paper. The sketch captures two women, likely peasants, in a field, their forms rendered with swift, assured strokes. Mauve's choice of graphite allows for a study in tonal variation, from the faintest suggestion of light to deeper pools of shadow, particularly noticeable in the woven texture of the basket held by one of the figures. The baskets themselves reflect a tradition of vernacular craft, essential to the labor of rural life. The way Mauve uses the graphite creates a sense of the weight of the material. Mauve's focus on the everyday lives of working-class women elevates their existence through art, prompting us to consider the social context of labor and the dignity of these figures. This drawing shows that art and craft share a common ground in their ability to reflect and imbue meaning into everyday life.