Dame mit Hut in gelbem Kleid 

Eduard Veith created this watercolor and pastel drawing of a woman around the turn of the twentieth century. It's not just a pretty picture, but also an insight into the labor of leisure. Look closely, and you'll notice the woman is holding knitting needles. This seemingly simple act was, and still is, a labor-intensive process. Every stitch is a conscious decision, a small act of creation. Veith captures a moment of domestic production, where the handmade meets the upper-class. Pastels and watercolors were the perfect media to capture the delicacy and intimacy of the scene. The soft hues and gentle blending reflect the refined tastes of the sitter. This drawing asks us to think about the labor involved in creating even the simplest of objects, and how that labor is often hidden from view. Let's not forget the unseen hours that go into making our material world.