Jongen met houten emmer 1808 - 1848

Pieter Barbiers IV created this delicate pencil drawing, "Boy with Wooden Bucket," sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Barbiers belonged to a family of artists in the Netherlands, a country undergoing significant social and economic changes during his lifetime. This image of a young boy carrying a heavy bucket evokes the common realities of working-class children. Their daily lives were often consumed by manual labor. The artist shows us the boy in simple clothing, his posture reflecting the weight he bears, both literally and figuratively. While seemingly a straightforward depiction, this drawing also subtly touches on themes of innocence and the loss thereof, as children were often forced into labor due to economic necessity. It invites us to reflect on the societal structures that shape young lives and the burdens they carry.