Boerin met sikkel en bundel gras bij een schuur 1847 - 1909

Edgar Alfred Baes created this detailed etching of a farmer with sickle and bundle of grass, sometime in the late 19th century. The subdued palette concentrates our attention on the composition and the etching's textural qualities. Note the formal arrangement: Baes divides the scene between the figure of the farmer, centrally located, and the simple geometry of the barn. The thatched roof creates a sharp, angular contrast with the rounded forms of the farmer's figure and the soft lines of the dog beside her. The figure is placed at the forefront, and the lack of depth flattens the image to a series of contrasting shapes and forms, challenging traditional perspectival space. Within this structured layout, the meticulous details of the etching technique highlight the textures of the scene, from the thatching to the farmer's clothing. This etching is not merely a depiction of rural life; it engages with questions of form and representation, inviting us to look closely at the structure of the image itself.