Gezadelde ezel en een vrouw die een kruik op het hoofd draagt te Olevano 1830

Jacobus Everhardus Josephus van den Berg created this sketch, titled 'Saddled Donkey and a Woman Carrying a Jug on Her Head in Olevano,' to capture a moment of daily life. Van den Berg, working in the 19th century, a time of burgeoning interest in the lives of everyday people, directs our gaze toward the figures of a working woman and her donkey. Note how the woman carries the jug upon her head. There is a delicate balance of labor and poise that is a testament to the endurance and resilience of working women. The woman and the donkey both carry burdens, but this image is devoid of sentimentality; instead it provides a window into the economic realities of 19th-century, rural, Italian life. The image invites us to consider the physical and emotional experiences of those whose labor often goes unseen and unacknowledged. Through the simple, elegant lines of this sketch, Van den Berg encourages us to reflect on the intersections of gender, labor, and survival, and to recognize the quiet dignity in the face of relentless work.