Studieblad met drie mannen die vracht dragen Possibly 1650

Harmen ter Borch created this study of three men carrying cargo with pen in the 17th century. Borch came from a family of artists during the Dutch Golden Age, a time of both prosperity and stark social stratification in the Netherlands. Here, Borch sketches laborers in motion, their bodies strained under heavy burdens. The sketch captures a raw, unidealized version of labor that acknowledges the physical toll it takes on the working class. Consider the role of trade and labor in shaping the Dutch Republic. Borch’s choice to depict these men, not as individuals but as types, speaks to broader questions of class identity and representation. While other artists of his time focused on the lives of the wealthy, Borch offers a glimpse into the lives of those whose labor supported that wealth. This work invites us to reflect on the stories we tell about labor, and whose experiences are often left out of the narrative.