Studieblad met boeren, aardappelrooiers en landschappen 1839 - 1894

This is "Studieblad met boeren, aardappelrooiers en landschappen," a sketch made by Lambertus Lingeman using graphite on paper. These are very traditional materials, of course, but their deployment here tells us something important. The rapid, light marks of graphite create a sense of immediacy. It is almost as though we are standing alongside Lingeman, watching the figures at work. The choice of such a direct medium implies a social viewpoint, as well. Lingeman seems less concerned with creating a finished, polished artwork than with capturing a sense of the everyday lives of working people. Notice how Lingeman captures the postures of laborers, bent over in fields. There is a clear acknowledgement of physical labor, recorded with the straightforward stroke of the artist's hand. It is a reminder that artmaking, too, is a form of labor. By considering the materials and the making of an artwork like this, we can appreciate the social and political dimensions that are often overlooked in art history.