Smidsjongen 1882

Auguste Danse made this print, Smidsjongen, in 1882. It depicts a young man, perhaps an apprentice, holding tools and wearing a distinctive fur hat. Danse was a Belgian artist who specialized in portraiture and genre scenes. He lived at a time when ideas about national identity and social class were being heavily debated. The image presents an idealized vision of working-class life. The boy’s gaze is averted. His expression is neutral, and the setting is plain. Without the trappings of modern industrial life, this image speaks to a cultural memory of labor. The Rijksmuseum's records and historical archives of the period can help us to understand the specific social context in which Danse created this print, and the cultural values that it reflects. Through that, we can better understand the politics of imagery and its power to shape social norms.