Staande boer met hark met kruik over de schouder, op de rug gezien 1813 - 1862

Barend Cornelis Koekkoek created this chalk drawing titled ‘Standing Farmer with a Rake and Jug over his Shoulder, Seen from the Back’ sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Koekkoek lived during a time of significant social and economic change in the Netherlands, with a growing divide between the wealthy urban elite and the rural working class. Koekkoek, who specialized in idealized landscapes, here depicts a farmer from behind as he’s walking away. The farmer carries his tools and a jug for refreshment, suggesting a life of labor and simplicity. Yet this image is far from a realistic portrayal of rural life, instead romanticizing the figure of the farmer. By turning away, the farmer’s identity is somewhat obscured, rendering him a symbol of rural life rather than an individual. This drawing speaks to the complex relationship between representation and reality, especially when it comes to portraying different classes and ways of life. It invites us to reflect on how we perceive and value the labor and lives of those who work the land.