Mannen, vermoedelijk arbeiders, en een heuvel 1870 - 1931

Willem Bastiaan Tholen made this sketch of laborers and a hill, likely in the late 19th or early 20th century, with an understated use of pencil on paper. Tholen’s artistic practice took place during a period of significant social and economic change in the Netherlands. As industrialization progressed, the lives of laborers came increasingly into focus. This sketch, with its simple composition and focus on the figures of the workers, reflects a broader artistic interest in depicting the lives of ordinary people. Artists in this period were becoming more aware of the social realities around them, and art became a vehicle for expressing empathy. The Rijksmuseum holding such a work suggests a growing recognition of the value of everyday life as a subject for art. Further investigation into Tholen’s biography, along with research into the social conditions of the time, could reveal more about the artist’s intent.