Interieur van een slagerij met een vrouwelijke en twee mannelijke figuren 1623 - 1663

This red chalk drawing of a butcher’s shop was created by Pieter van den Bos, though the date is unknown. The immediate appeal is in the lively, informal composition. It is a familiar scene, with a woman working at a table laden with meat and two men drinking and smoking, but the rough, sketch-like quality of the drawing encourages us to consider the wider context in which it was produced. The artist is drawing our attention to the labor involved in the process of food production – traditionally gendered – and of the culture of consumption that surrounds it. The red chalk has a warmth and immediacy, bringing us closer to the lives of those depicted. Drawings like this offer a window into the day-to-day of a working-class environment, a subject often overlooked in favor of more ‘refined’ artistic themes. Yet, by looking closely at materials, making, and context, we can expand our understanding of art and its connections to society.