Schelpenvissers met netten in de branding 1893

Auguste Danse made this etching, "Shellfish gatherers with nets in the surf," in Belgium in 1883. It depicts two men using nets to gather shellfish in the ocean. This image presents the lives of working-class people without sentimentality, reflecting the realist movement's focus on depicting the everyday experiences of ordinary individuals. Belgium in the late 19th century was undergoing rapid industrialization and social change. Many artists turned their attention to the lives of laborers and rural communities. Images of labor were very popular as the rise of socialist politics and trade unionism increased sympathy for the working class. The Rijksmuseum's collection provides a rich resource for understanding the social and artistic context in which this print was made. By studying the work of Danse and his contemporaries, we can better understand the complex relationship between art and society in 19th-century Belgium.