Meisje met een gieter 1834 - 1911

This is Jozef Israëls's delicate pencil drawing, 'Girl with a Watering Can', now at the Rijksmuseum. Israëls, working in the 19th century, often depicted scenes of everyday life, focusing on the working class and rural communities. In this sketch, the girl, with her head bowed, concentrates on her task, highlighting the simple dignity of labor. During this period, representations of childhood often carried sentimental or moral undertones, yet Israëls avoids idealization. Instead, he captures a moment of quiet responsibility. Consider the implications of gender in this context: young girls were frequently tasked with domestic duties, learning to nurture and care from a young age. Israëls’s sensitive rendering invites us to reflect on the experiences of young women in the 19th century, and how these experiences continue to shape our understanding of gender and work today.