Jonge schoenmaker Possibly 1890

Anthon Gerhard Alexander van Rappard created this drawing, "Young Shoemaker," using graphite. Van Rappard, a Dutch artist, was known for his social realist depictions of working-class life. This image captures a young boy engaged in the laborious task of shoemaking. The focus on labor reflects the late 19th-century interest in representing the lives of ordinary people, particularly those marginalized by industrialization. The young shoemaker is deeply engrossed, which speaks to the socio-economic conditions that often forced children into labor. The drawing isn't romantic, but the boy is imbued with dignity through the act of artistic representation. Van Rappard seems to be making a statement about child labor and the social realities of his time. By portraying this young boy with such focused intensity, the work invites us to reflect on the emotional and physical toll exacted by poverty and labor, and its effects on identity and future prospects.