Zagende en een staande jongen 1812 - 1817

This print, "Sawing and a Standing Boy," was created by Jacob Ernst Marcus, probably in the early 1800s, using etching and possibly engraving. The print depicts a boy sawing wood, while another looks on, perhaps contemplating the labor at hand. Marcus chose printmaking, a reproductive medium, to capture this scene, making it widely accessible. Notice the details of the saw, the wood, and even the clothing of the boys; these are rendered with close attention. The artist surely knew that the image would be reproduced and distributed, raising questions about the relationship between labor, art, and the rising tide of industrial production. The very act of making this print—a laborious, skilled process—mirrors the labor it depicts. Ultimately, this work blurs the boundaries between fine art and the crafts, prompting us to consider the social and economic contexts in which both are produced.