Interieur van een schaapskooi c. 1884 - 1887

Willem Witsen made this drawing of the Interior of a Sheep Stable in the Netherlands, using graphite on paper. It presents a stark look at rural life. The loose handling of the graphite is particularly interesting. Witsen appears to be challenging academic conventions that favour a high degree of finish. Instead, Witsen captures the interior in an understated way, presenting the bleak conditions of the stable. As a member of the Amsterdam Impressionism movement, Witsen was interested in the everyday life of the working class and the landscape of the Netherlands, but he also came from a wealthy family, well-connected in Amsterdam’s art scene. The image invites the viewer to consider the socio-economic issues facing agricultural workers at the time. By looking at archival documents, census data, and historical accounts, we can better understand the social and economic conditions that shaped the lives of those who worked in agriculture during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.