Vruchtenverkoper 1865 - 1936

This is Nicolaas van der Waay’s etching, "Vruchtenverkoper." The texture, achieved through meticulous etching, creates a palpable sense of the scene, and the monochrome palette underscores the starkness of the subject's environment. The composition centres on a young vendor, his posture conveying a sense of weariness. The vendor's figure is rendered with a detailed network of lines that define form and shadow, while the fruit basket next to him, contrasts the human figure. The composition draws our attention to the interplay between the vendor's introspective gaze and the surrounding objects. Van der Waay prompts us to consider the structural inequalities inherent in such scenes, reflecting a broader discourse on representation and social critique. This artwork challenges us to engage with the social dimensions embedded within its formal structure.