Weg met diepe karresporen, in het verschiet links en rechts huizen 1773 - 1843

Georges Michel made this drawing using pen, brush and grey wash, likely in the late 18th or early 19th century. The monochromatic palette and the emphasis on the material qualities of the landscape itself – the mud, the ruts in the road – create a sense of immediacy. You can almost feel the weight of the wagons that have passed, the labor involved in moving goods through this rural setting. The drawing isn't just a representation; it’s an index of the physical processes that have shaped the land. The very act of drawing mirrors the labor it depicts. Michel’s choice of humble materials—pen, brush, and wash—aligns with his subject matter. He wasn’t interested in portraying grand historical events or idealized landscapes. Instead, he focused on the everyday, on the grit and toil that underpinned the agricultural economy. It is the intersection of materials, making, and context that gives the artwork its meaning, blurring the boundaries between fine art and the realities of labor and life.