Farmer with one hand in his coat
1638
Adriaen van Ostade was the undisputed king of Dutch peasant portraits, and this 1638 sketch captures that rustic charm perfectly. The figure is bundled up in a heavy coat and a comically large, wide-brimmed hat, with one hand tucked inside for warmth—a pose that screams 'I'm done working for the day.' Those wooden shoes, or klompen, are a dead giveaway of his humble status. Ostade spent his entire career in Haarlem documenting the everyday lives of common folk, finding humor and dignity in the grime of the fields. It's a snapshot of 17th-century rural life that feels surprisingly modern in its attitude.
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