Coolie (porter) 1875

Vasily Vereshchagin's "Coolie (Porter)" from 1875 depicts a seated man with dark skin, likely a porter or laborer. He wears simple clothing and sits against a textured wall, his gaze cast downward. The painting's realism and focus on the individual's physicality speak to Vereshchagin's interest in depicting everyday life and social commentary. The subject's posture and expression evoke a sense of weariness and hardship, making the work a poignant representation of labor and social class in the 19th century.