Boerengezin aan de maaltijd c. 1840 - 1843

This is Sybrand Altmann’s sketch, made with pencil on paper, titled 'Farm Family at Mealtime'. The composition reveals a scene dominated by subtle lines and muted tones, creating a sense of quiet domesticity. Altmann employs an open form, the composition spreads towards the left, inviting the eye to wander across the paper's surface. The figures and objects—the family, chairs, and meal accoutrements—are delineated with spare, economic lines. The very sketchiness of the work invites us to consider the broader structuralist themes. The open form reflects the fluidity and instability of meaning. The incompleteness of the sketch suggests a world in flux. It acknowledges the act of observing and representing. This self-awareness within the artwork, a recognition of its constructed nature, challenges the viewer to reconsider the relationship between reality and representation.