Potato Planting 1917

Curator: This is Sir William Rothenstein's drawing, "Potato Planting," held here at the Tate. It gives me a sense of quiet industry. Editor: The bent figures, the muted tones... it certainly evokes a sense of weighty labor, almost ritualistic in its repetition. The pickaxe seems particularly emblematic. Curator: Indeed. Rothenstein's choice of such a stark, utilitarian scene speaks volumes about the role of agricultural labor in society. The very act of planting is a fundamental production. Editor: And potatoes! Humble, sustaining. Their presence resonates with deeper symbolic meanings of nourishment and earthly connection. Curator: It's a poignant reminder of the human connection to the land and the labor that sustains us. Editor: A somber, yet hopeful image, revealing the symbolic weight in the simplest of actions.