Gebogen staande, werkende man 1860 - 1921

Adolf le Comte sketched this working man in charcoal, a medium that lends itself to capturing the transient moments of everyday life. The figure’s bent posture speaks of labor and toil, his hands engaged in a task we can only imagine. Consider how the motif of the working man, so prevalent in art, echoes across centuries. Think of the powerful images of laborers by Millet, or even the idealized workers of socialist realism. Each era imbues this figure with its own ideological weight. Le Comte's man, however, appears more ambiguous, a study in concentration and physical strain. Observe the way his form is sketched, almost dissolving into the background, emphasizing the anonymity often associated with labor. This portrayal could be interpreted through a psychoanalytic lens as a reflection of collective anxieties surrounding industrialization and the individual's place within it. The image lingers in our memory, a testament to the enduring, if evolving, symbolism of the worker.