Op de zolderkamer Possibly 1905

This print, "Op de zolderkamer," or "In the Attic," likely dates to the late 19th century. The anonymous artist used the relatively inexpensive process of lithography, printing with ink from a stone or metal plate, to create the image. The stark lines and cross-hatching convey a sense of poverty. Notice the bare room, the mother and children huddled together, and the well-dressed man intruding upon them. The caption below the image suggests a narrative: the man laments that the woman didn't keep some of her husband's paintings, because one just sold at a hotel for 6,000 francs. The print points to the complex relationship between art, labor, and capital. The artist, through a relatively accessible medium, highlights the contrast between the artist's potential market value and the material conditions of his family's life, inviting us to consider the social implications of artistic production.