Vrouw naast een zak, mogelijk met aardappelen Possibly 1870 - 1877

Here we see a pencil drawing, a quick study by Cornelis Springer depicting a woman beside a sack, perhaps filled with potatoes. The sack, an unassuming object, speaks volumes. Consider the humble potato itself—a symbol of sustenance, of survival, that has fed nations and fueled economies. The way it rises—like a mountain, it appears in other contexts; think of van Gogh's "The Potato Eaters" which elevates the potato to an almost sacred object, a symbol of rural life and the simple act of sustenance. Yet, this very symbol carries a darker echo of hardship and famine, a reminder of human vulnerability and resilience. It is a testament to our ability to find life in the simplest of things, and it reminds us that even the most mundane objects are laden with histories.