Boerinnen 1884 - 1886

Curator: Boerinnen, or 'Female Peasants', a pencil drawing from 1884-1886 by George Hendrik Breitner. What do you make of this sketch, as a budding art historian? Editor: It feels very raw and immediate. There's a vulnerability to the lines. It looks like a glimpse into the everyday lives of these women. I guess I’m wondering, what kind of statement Breitner might be trying to make here, if any? Curator: Consider the materiality. Breitner's choice of pencil, a readily available and inexpensive medium, speaks volumes about accessibility. These weren’t commissioned portraits; these were studies from life, focusing on working-class women. Notice the unrefined sketch marks. How might these choices reflect the value he placed on these subjects? Editor: I hadn’t thought about the significance of using just pencil! It really shifts my understanding. Maybe instead of idealizing the women, Breitner wants to document a specific moment in time, capturing their labor... Is he critiquing traditional portraiture's focus on the wealthy elite, or highlighting a previously ignored workforce? Curator: Precisely. Think about the socio-economic context. Breitner's interest lies in the rapidly changing urban landscape, but here he draws agricultural labor; an important part of the dutch economy. Editor: So, even through such simple materials, Breitner directs our attention to the often-unseen labor that supports society? Curator: Absolutely. He makes us aware of the means of material production and subsistence. It is so much more than "just a sketch". Editor: That gives me a totally new perspective on this artwork. I hadn't considered it as a statement on labor and material production. Thanks!