Timmerman Padmo op de Prinses Juliana School 1933

This photograph, titled Timmerman Padmo op de Prinses Juliana School, shows a man working with wood, though we don't know when it was taken or by whom. What is striking is the labor involved in hand sawing a piece of timber. You can see the saw dust on the floor and the man has very little clothing on, perhaps due to the climate. There is something beautiful and dignified about this image, and a real skill is required to make a straight cut through a large piece of wood. The image shows us an apprentice carpenter at work in a classroom, perhaps learning skills that he would later use as part of a trade. Thinking about materials and processes helps us consider the cultural significance of images like this, challenging the traditional divide between art and craft.