Aardappelrooiende vrouw c. 1886

Willem Witsen's "Aardappelrooiende vrouw" (Potato-Digging Woman), a charcoal drawing from 1886, portrays a lone woman bent over, harvesting potatoes in a field. The simplicity of the composition and the focus on the figure's labor highlight the artist's interest in depicting the lives of ordinary people, a common theme in Dutch realism. The work is currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. This artwork reflects Witsen's style, characterized by its naturalism and expressive lines, which capture the weariness and determination of the woman in her work.