Onbekende man met een paard dat een voertuig voortrekt before 1916

This little book illustration by A. Perremans shows a man with a horse pulling a cart through what looks like a rural field. The artist has used a monochrome palette, focusing on tonal variations to define forms and create depth. You can see that the ink hasn't been applied evenly, creating a patchy texture, which feels humble and very human. I like to imagine Perremans working with these limited means, perhaps feeling a connection to the everyday lives of the people he's depicting. It reminds me of other illustrators and printmakers who captured scenes of working-class life, like Käthe Kollwitz, who was printing at a similar time. There's a sense of empathy and a desire to document the world as it is, without romanticizing it. Each artist builds on the work of those who came before, and painting and drawing become ways to engage with the world and communicate shared experiences.