Peasant Family from Staphorst
Peasant Family from Staphorst
Peasant Family from Staphorst
By Jan Sluijters
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Peasant Family from Staphorst
Peasant Family from Staphorst
Peasant Family from Staphorst
A penetrating, almost life-size portrait of a peasant family from the Orthodox Protestant village of Staphorst. The parents’ worn faces and coarse hands, the daughter’s slumped shoulders and sad expression provide an expressive image of peasant life. The girl stands out from the overall picture. Her blue outer garments, white headwear and rosy face distinguish her from the rest. The elongated body and small, stylised, oval face appear in Sluijters’ later work such as ‘Female nude on sofa’. Sluijters’ intention of depicting the melancholy of Staphorst peasant life was criticised by some, who found it a caricature, showing little respect for the people of Staphorst themselves.