Man Carrying a Bundle c. 1870s - 1880s

Richard Beavis created this drawing of a figure carrying a heavy load, using graphite and white chalk on paper. Beavis, born in England in 1824, made his mark illustrating scenes from far-flung corners of the British Empire. This work invites us to consider the weight of labor and the bodies that perform it. The man’s bare torso and simple clothing place him outside the European elite, and the burden he carries speaks to the physical demands placed upon the working class and colonized populations. It is a scene of labor that speaks of the human cost of colonial trade. While Beavis may have intended only to document, his image also opens up questions about exploitation. Consider how this drawing might reflect or challenge the prevailing societal attitudes toward labor, class, and the representation of the "other" during the height of the British Empire.