Op de grond liggende, rustende man 1848 - 1888

Here is Anton Mauve’s drawing, "Man Lying on the Ground Resting," held at the Rijksmuseum. It's rendered in watercolor and graphite. The eye is drawn to the figure’s reclining pose, softened by the muted palette. Mauve uses minimal, almost ghostly washes of color, particularly in the foliage, contrasting with the more defined, though equally subdued, figure. The composition suggests a commentary on the pastoral tradition, one where labor and rest are subtly intertwined. The man’s repose isn't one of leisure but perhaps a brief respite from work. The structural interplay between the sketched environment and the resting figure reveals Mauve’s formal interest in the relationship between man and nature. The drawing functions as a meditation on labor, landscape, and the delicate balance between the two.