Fabrieksjongen aan het werk 1868 - 1892

Anthon van Rappard made this drawing of a factory boy at work using pen and ink. Rappard was a Dutch artist who often depicted working-class subjects. Here, we see a young boy, likely in his early teens, wearing the uniform of a factory worker: clogs, apron, and cap. He is hunched over his task, his brow furrowed in concentration. The image is rendered in a stark, realistic style, typical of the social realist movement that was emerging in Europe at the time. Child labor was a widespread issue during the Industrial Revolution and Rappard was interested in depicting laborers in a sympathetic way. To understand this work, we need to know something about the social conditions that shaped artistic production at the time. By studying the history of labor, social movements, and the art market, we can gain a deeper appreciation of the meaning and significance of this powerful image.