Jongen aan een touw trekkend 1809 - 1841

This drawing of a boy pulling a rope was created by Joannes Bemme in the late 18th or early 19th century. It’s rendered in graphite, a material prized for its ability to create fine lines and subtle gradations of tone. But let’s think for a moment about the rope itself. In this period, rope was a crucial technology. Every ship depended on it. Rope making was a skilled trade, performed in long ropewalks where fibers were twisted and plied together. It was hard work. Looking closely, you can see Bemme’s sensitive rendering of the boy’s effort to pull it. The rope is both the subject of the image, and also its hidden content: it speaks to the larger world of labor. By considering the materials and processes depicted, we gain insight into the social context, and challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and the everyday experience of work.