In de katoenververij 1868 - 1892

"In de katoenververij," or "In the Cotton Dye Works," is a pencil drawing by Anthon Gerhard Alexander van Rappard. Rappard, who lived from 1858 to 1892, created this drawing during a time of significant social change, as industrialization transformed labor and class structures across Europe. Here, Rappard depicts workers inside a cotton dye factory, their figures dwarfed by the machinery and the scale of their labor. Consider the social implications of such a scene. The Industrial Revolution created a new class of workers whose identities were deeply intertwined with their labor and the economic system that exploited them. How did these emerging industries shape the identities and lived experiences of those involved? Rappard does not romanticize factory work; instead, he offers an emotionally honest view of labor and the social conditions of his time.