The artwork titled “Mangle with Two Women and a Man,” created by the renowned artist Vincent van Gogh in 1884 in Nuenen, Netherlands, exhibits a vivid representation of daily life in rural settings. Crafted using pencil and ink on paper, this piece belongs to both the Realism movement and the genre of sketches and studies. Currently housed in a private collection, the artwork showcases Van Gogh’s attention to detail and his commitment to depicting the quintessence of human labor.
The artwork illustrates three individuals engaged in the process of mangling, a traditional method of pressing and smoothing fabric. On the left side, a man operates the mangle, exerting force on the machine. One seated woman appears to be feeding the fabric into the mangle while another woman on the right, dressed in traditional attire, handles a spinning wheel with concentration. The sketch is rendered with meticulous lines and shading, emphasizing the physical effort involved in this task. The setting is sparse, drawing focus to the figures and their actions, and exemplifying van Gogh’s early work focused on the everyday lives of common people. The use of pencil and ink gives the artwork a raw, unfinished appearance, characteristic of van Gogh’s study pieces, capturing the essence of human toil.
