Meisje met schoonmaakgerei c. 1925 - 1935

This ink drawing, “Girl with Cleaning Tools,” presents a scene of domesticity, with a young girl assisting in household chores. Note the cleaning brush held loosely in her hand. This simple object carries a weight of cultural symbolism. The act of cleaning has long been associated with purification and renewal. Think of ancient rituals where cleansing was a prerequisite for spiritual rebirth. The symbolism is not always positive. Consider the expression 'sweeping something under the rug'. The brush, as an instrument, reveals a complex interplay between visibility and concealment, between the seen and unseen. The drawing evokes a psychological space where the act of cleaning transcends mere physical labor and touches on deeper issues of social order and hidden anxieties. The mundane, elevated to a potent symbol of cultural memory. The cyclical return of repressed emotions and the need for societal cleansing, forever imprinted on the image of a simple cleaning brush.