Arbeider achter een weefgetouw 1874 - 1925

Jan Veth made this drawing of a worker at a loom with graphite on paper. The artist rendered in monochromatic grays a figure operating the industrial weaving machine. Veth was clearly interested in the machine, lingering over its forms as it dwarfs the barely-there human. The loom dominates the composition with all its mechanisms. The rapid, loose sketching seems at odds with the intense labour of the weaver. In the late 19th century, as industrial looms proliferated, weaving shifted from a handcrafted skill to factory work. Although this new system created opportunities, it also caused much distress. The repetitive action of weaving, here emphasized by the sketchiness of the drawing style, resulted in long hours and low wages. Paying attention to the materials, the making, and the context allows us to understand an artwork's full meaning. It challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft and encourages us to consider the relationship between art and society.