Woman Peeling Potatoes 1880 - 1922

Jacob Simon Hendrik Kever’s painting shows a woman peeling potatoes with a child next to her. The scene is rendered in muted tones, mostly browns, creams and greys, and the paint application looks soft and blended. I imagine Kever in his studio, perhaps with a steaming cup of tea, trying to capture the subtle light filtering through the window. He would have been using soft brushes, layering the paint to create this intimate scene. Look at the woman’s posture, her head bowed in concentration; the artist captures a sense of quiet labor and tenderness. And the child, so engaged with the falling peels, it's like an entire world opens up in a bucket. Kever was part of a generation of painters who were looking at everyday life and humble subjects. Think of Millet's paintings of peasants; Kever similarly elevates the mundane. Through paint, he invites us to reflect on the dignity of simple acts.