Artwork
Woman Peeling Potatoes
Woman Peeling Potatoes is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Jacob Simon Hendrik Kever. It dates from 1901 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Hein Kever, a Dutch painter linked to the Laren School, completed the oil work *Woman Peeling Potatoes* in 1901. The canvas captures a modest interior scene rendered in an Impressionist manner and is part of the Rijksmuseum’s holdings.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a woman in a white apron engaged in peeling potatoes over a bowl, while a small child crouches nearby, reaching into a bucket. The subdued lighting and simple surroundings emphasize the quiet routine of domestic labor.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, the painting employs loose brushwork and a muted palette characteristic of late‑19th‑century Impressionism. Soft edges and diffused light convey atmosphere, while the texture of the rough walls and dirt floor adds tactile realism.
History & Provenance
Created at the turn of the 20th century, the work entered the Rijksmuseum collection, where it remains on display as an example of Kever’s genre‑scene output and the broader Laren School tradition.
Context
Kever’s oeuvre often focused on everyday life in rural Dutch settings. This piece reflects the social reality of working‑class households, aligning with the period’s interest in portraying ordinary people and their chores.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jacob Simon Hendrik Kever, known as Hein (19 June 1854 in Amsterdam – 29 April 1922 in Amsterdam) was a Dutch genre and still-life painter; associated with the Laren School.
