Zittende straatverkoopster met mand Possibly 1855

This drawing of a seated street vendor with her basket, was made by Diederik Franciscus Jamin, who died young in 1865. The drawing is made with graphite and possibly charcoal, humble materials to portray a humble subject. The artist has created a range of tones, from delicate light grey outlines to strong blacks, building up a great sense of form, and a realistic, empathetic likeness of this woman. Consider how her life is one of hard labor, which she undertakes to earn her daily bread. Look closely, and you can see the woven basket – this is not an industrial material but a hand-made object. It is through such details, that we can consider wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. The drawing’s meaning lies in the depiction of someone who is working, and whose own labor has been depicted here.