Zie hier het leven en bedrijf / Van Jan de Wasser en zijn wijf. / Die leere u, dat ras getrouwd / Iets is, dat lang daarna nog rouwt c. 1822 - 1849

This cautionary tale was etched by Jan de Lange II, printed in Amsterdam, depicting the life and toil of Jan de Wasser and his wife. Observe the repeated images of labor, the unending cycle of work and domestic responsibility. Jan is forever washing, cleaning, and toiling, while his wife manages the household. In the visual language of toil, we see echoes of ancient myths, like Sisyphus condemned to eternally roll a boulder uphill. Consider the wheelbarrow, a motif that recurs throughout. This simple device speaks volumes about human effort and the burdens we carry, and the cyclical nature of work. In the visual language of daily life, these burdens become representative of a deep seated human anxiety that has resurfaced throughout art history. Such imagery touches a primal chord, reminding us of the endless cycle of human toil. This artwork, therefore, isn't just a depiction of a 19th-century marriage, it is a mirror reflecting the universal human condition.