Canal in the Rain – The Ferryman 

Rik Wouters created this charcoal drawing entitled 'Canal in the Rain – The Ferryman' at some point during his short but productive career. The scene appears to depict a common facet of urban life, with figures moving between places via a ferry despite the downpour. But if you look closely, the marks on the paper are quite expressive, almost violent. Wouters was working in Belgium, a place that experienced its own storms, both literal and political, in the early 20th century. In this context, the image feels less like a simple record of urban life and more like an exploration of the psychological experience of living in a world filled with conflict. The ferryman becomes a symbol of resilience, of people trying to maintain their daily routines, and of the persistence of social and economic exchange in the face of harsh realities. To fully understand this work, we might turn to archives and historical accounts, discovering a wider range of meanings shaped by a specific time and place.