The artwork titled “Peasant Woman at the Washtub and Peasant Woman Hanging Up the Laundry,” created by Vincent van Gogh in 1885 in Nuenen, Netherlands, is a notable piece from the Realism movement. Executed with chalk and pencil on paper, this artwork falls under the genre of sketch and study. It is currently held in a private collection.
The artwork portrays two peasant women engaged in their daily chores. The woman at the forefront is bending over a washtub, vigorously scrubbing laundry, embodying the labor-intensive tasks of rural life. Behind her, another woman is seen hanging up the freshly washed laundry on a clothesline, emphasizing the continual nature of domestic labor. The sketch’s vigorous line work and detailed depiction of the women’s postures and surroundings highlight Van Gogh’s keen observational skills and his heartfelt representation of peasant life. The scene is set against a stark background with a simple yet compelling use of shading, adding depth and texture to the composition.
