Buste van een oude boer 1777 - 1779

Here is the description of the artwork for the audio guide: Pieter de Mare’s etching presents us with a weathered old farmer donning a simple hat. The hat, a symbol of rural life and labor, speaks to an enduring connection with the earth. We see echoes of this figure across centuries. Consider the rough-hewn faces in Bruegel's peasant scenes, or even the stoic farmers found in Roman portraiture. These recurring images tap into a deep-seated cultural respect for those who work the land, a reverence passed down through generations. Yet, in each iteration, the symbol shifts. The Roman farmer embodies civic virtue; Bruegel’s, a boisterous vitality. De Mare’s farmer, however, is rendered with a certain vulnerability, evoking a sense of empathy. This simple image stirs something primal within us, a collective memory of our connection to the land and the cycle of life. It is a testament to the enduring power of symbols to transcend time, carrying with them the weight of history and the echoes of our shared human experience.