Boer met een spade op het land 1893 - 1897

Editor: Here we have Willem Witsen’s “Boer met een spade op het land,” made sometime between 1893 and 1897. It's a drawing on paper with pencil and what looks like watercolor. It feels like a very immediate, intimate glimpse into the life of a worker. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's the directness of the sketch that really grabs me. Look at the labor involved, captured with such minimal material – pencil and paper. The social context is important here; late 19th century Dutch rural life, rendered with an almost brutal simplicity. The way Witsen uses these inexpensive materials – do you think that makes a statement? Editor: I suppose it underscores the subject matter itself. A field worker wouldn't likely be painted with oils on a canvas at this time, right? It emphasizes the ordinary and accessible. Curator: Exactly. And think about the commodification of art. Even sketches become objects to be bought and sold. How does this impact our perception of the worker's labor, when it’s turned into a commodity as well? Is it a reflection of labour? Or is it a capture of that labour, transformed into capital? Editor: That's a compelling point. It’s not just the scene depicted but how the artwork itself enters the system of production and consumption. It changes everything about how we might perceive it. Curator: Yes. So, seeing the marks on the page makes us consider art production as another kind of labor and consider who it's intended for. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way before, it certainly adds another layer to appreciating the work! Curator: It's all about seeing the material realities behind the image. Hopefully this enriches our viewing today.