Ruskin road-makers at North Hinksey 1874 - 1876

"Ruskin Road-makers at work, North Hinksey," a small-scale work by Henry W. Taunt, captures a moment in time during the artist's 1874 to 1876 period. The image, likely a photograph or drawing, features a scene of laborers engaged in road construction near the village of North Hinksey, Oxfordshire. Taunt's work, often associated with the "aesthetic movement," provides a glimpse into the social and practical aspects of Ruskin's philosophy of manual labor and its connection to a "happy country life." This intimate scene, with its emphasis on everyday tasks and natural settings, exemplifies the artistic and philosophical pursuits of the Victorian era.