Man op klompen op een kruk 1875

Felicien Rops made this print of a man wearing clogs on a stool, using etching, drypoint and soft-ground techniques. Look closely, and you'll notice the textures created by these processes. The drypoint creates a burr, a rough edge on the lines that holds extra ink, giving a velvety quality. This is very effective in the man's clothing, and the soft-ground etching yields a grainy, less defined area of shading. The combination lends a directness to the image, as if drawn from life. But consider also the social dimension: the man's clogs weren't just a fashion statement. They were practical footwear for working-class laborers in the fields. Rops has made many images of workers. In his time, printmaking itself was undergoing a transformation, with new technologies enabling mass production. So while Rops was using traditional skills, he was also very aware of how art could reflect and engage with broader social issues. Ultimately, the work encourages us to appreciate the skill involved in its making, and to think about the lives and labor it portrays.