Beeldhouwer Abraham Hesselink in zijn atelier, Plantage Franselaan 25, Amsterdam after 12

This photograph captures the sculptor Abraham Hesselink in his Amsterdam studio. We see him surrounded by plaster casts and carved reliefs, all stages in the subtractive processes that yield sculpture. It's interesting to consider the amount of physical labor involved in creating these works. Each piece, whether a classical figure or a narrative scene, demanded hours of skilled labor, from the initial clay modeling to the final carving in stone. These processes have deep cultural significance. Sculpting has always been associated with high art, yet the handwork involved also connects it to the world of craft. Hesselink is mediating this distinction between art and craft, between the conceptual and the manual. Looking at the image, you can see the tools of the trade, and sense the atmosphere of a workshop where ideas take shape through physical effort. It invites us to consider the connection between the artist, his materials, and the social context of his time.