Carrying Basket and Axe
Before hiking backpacks were a fashion statement, Swiss peasants relied on the 'Tragekorb,' a sturdy woven basket seen here in a sketch by Franz Niklaus König. Alongside a trusty axe, this drawing captures the essential tools of Alpine labor with loose, energetic lines. König was a master of documenting Swiss rural life, and this humble study likely served as a reference for his larger, colorful paintings of mountain folk. It’s a quiet reminder of the hard work behind the romanticized view of nature.