Boer die een koe melkt c. 1876 - 1879

Anton Mauve made this drawing, "Boer die een koe melkt," with graphite pencil on paper. Mauve's choice of humble materials mirrors his subject: rural life. The immediacy of the pencil sketch, with its quickly drawn lines, captures a fleeting moment of everyday labor. The rapid, almost scribbled lines suggest a study, a quick impression rather than a finished work. Notice how Mauve uses the varying pressure of the pencil to define form and shadow, giving depth to the figures of the farmer and the cow. The sketch is economical, focusing on the essential elements of the scene: the posture of the farmer, the shape of the cow, and the pail filling with milk. While seemingly simple, the drawing reflects Mauve's engagement with the Realist movement, finding beauty and significance in the ordinary lives of working people. It challenges traditional notions of what constitutes worthy subject matter for art. This drawing invites us to consider the value of humble labor and the artistry found in simple, everyday scenes.