Construction laborers receiving their breakfast 1860

Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller's "Construction laborers receiving their breakfast" (1860) depicts a poignant scene of working-class life. A young laborer, burdened with bricks, is being handed a piece of bread by a woman kneeling before him. The composition highlights the stark contrast between the laborer's physical toil and the woman's act of generosity. The work exemplifies Waldmüller's focus on realism and the everyday lives of ordinary people, characteristic of Biedermeier art in 19th-century Austria. The painting's intimate scale and detailed brushstrokes contribute to its evocative portrayal of social realities.