Bok en konijnen op een boerenerf 1835 - 1863

This lithograph, Bok en konijnen op een boerenerf, was created by Gerard Jan Bos. Bos rendered this scene using lithography, a printmaking process where an image is drawn on a stone or metal plate with a greasy substance, then printed. The nature of this process lends itself to the creation of textures and tones which imbue the work with an interesting narrative. The contrast between the smooth areas and the textures of the straw, wooden door, brick wall, and earth floor create depth and realism in the scene. The lithographic technique here seems appropriate as it mirrors the rural subject of the image. In this image the artist’s choice of lithography and the way it imitates the textures of the rural scene reflects an artistic intention to elevate the ordinary. It asks us to consider how art can be found in everyday life, challenging the traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.