Arkivism
Man and woman, both labourers
Public domain

Man and woman, both labourers

Esaias Boursse · 1662 · brush; paper; ink

From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

In hilly terrain, a man sits on a rock on the left. He is dressed in a long hip-cloth (veshti, lungi, or South Indian dhoti?) and a shawl (chadar) leaving his right shoulder uncovered. A large headscarf is wrapped around his head. He may be from South India and employed here. On the right, a woman sits on an overturned basket. She is dressed in a long wrap-skirt (redda) and a Portuguese blouse with a V-neck and long sleeves (hatte). Her head is covered with a hanging cloth, upon which a carrying ring rests. She may be a Eurasian or low-caste Sinhalese woman. Both figures are drawn from the front. The draughtsman encountered them while they were resting from their labor. Sheet 86 from a sketchbook with 117 sheets.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own description
Credit lineMan and woman, both labourers. 1662. Esaias Boursse. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.

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