Field with Laborers (from Sketchbook VII) 1886

William Trost Richards made this graphite drawing, "Field with Laborers," sometime in the late 19th century. It’s one of many sketches found in his notebooks. Richards was associated with the Hudson River School, a group of landscape painters concerned with themes of nature, progress, and the role of humans in the environment. This drawing depicts laborers working in a field, likely during harvest time. The scene reflects the social conditions of the time, with a focus on agricultural labor. It would be interesting to know where this was sketched, because it is not like his other coastal sketches. Further research into the artist's life and travels, along with historical records of agricultural practices, could provide a deeper understanding of the work's context. The interpretation of art relies on understanding the social and institutional context in which it was made.