Constant Permeke is the most singular and the most monumental Flemish Expressionist. In contrast to the other Expressionists, Permeke made many large drawings. They are typically drawn with great precision and sophistication, like this Sleeping Peasant. As a reaction against the ‘bourgeois’ art of that time, Permeke and other artists retired to the village of Sint-Martens-Latem to be more in touch with nature and the rural way of life. In the Sleeping Peasant, the artist leaves out every suggestion of place or detail. The enlargement of the peasant’s hands and feet enhances the drawing’s instinctive expression. By simplifying and distorting the figure, Permeke focuses on the essence and the strength of the peasant. The interaction between man and nature is a central theme in his oeuvre. Permeke’s art characteristically displays a profound sympathy with the harshness of peasant life and a great connectedness with the earth. With the barest minimum of means, in just a few lines, he expresses the toughness, power and fundamental greatness of the sleeping peasant.