Sweep boy 1765 - 1785

This is a small earthenware figure of a boy, made by Ralph Wood the Younger in the late 18th century. The boy stands, arms crossed, on a textured base, his figure described by a clear and balanced structure. The composition exhibits a carefully considered contrast. The green coat, set against the neutral trousers and base, draws our eye, while the figure's tilt introduces a dynamic tension. The artist uses color and form not merely to represent but to evoke a particular sensibility. There’s an almost melancholic air to the figure, perhaps reflective of the socio-economic realities of the time. The materiality of the earthenware itself adds another layer. The glaze, uneven in places, catches the light, creating a play of shadows that enlivens the surface. This interplay between form and surface compels us to see the figure not just as a representation of a boy, but as a complex of carefully structured elements designed to convey a particular meaning.