Fabrieksjongen aan het werk 1868 - 1892

Anthon Gerhard Alexander van Rappard’s drawing presents us with a somber scene, rendered with charcoal, pencil, and pen on paper. The composition is dominated by the figure of a young boy, caught in the act of labor, surrounded by the stark geometry of an industrial space. The artist uses line and tone to create a sense of depth and texture; the rough, almost urgent strokes of charcoal construct the boy's form, while the sharp lines define the tools of his trade. This technique invites us to consider the social conditions Van Rappard sought to represent. Are the marks rough or delicate, chaotic or controlled? The image's power lies in its destabilization of traditional artistic values; rather than idealizing its subject, the drawing confronts us with the realities of labor and the exploitation of youth. The drawing, with its emphasis on form and structure, challenges us to consider how art can function as both a mirror reflecting society and a hammer shaping our understanding of it.