Mijnarbeider met bloot bovenlijf 1895

"Mijnarbeider met bloot bovenlijf" (1895) by Pieter de Josselin de Jong depicts a coal miner working underground, illuminated by a flickering lamp. The etching, housed in the Rijksmuseum, captures the harsh realities of labor in the late 19th century, highlighting the worker's physicality and the dangerous environment he navigates. De Jong's use of dark tones and dramatic lighting creates a sense of realism and emphasizes the arduous nature of the miner's task, inviting viewers to contemplate the social and economic realities of industrial society.