Cotton harvesters--between Houston and San Antonio, Texas 1955

This photograph, *Cotton harvesters--between Houston and San Antonio, Texas*, was captured by Robert Frank. Frank, a Swiss-American photographer, became known for his raw, yet poetic imagery of American life. Through the lens, we witness laborers working in fields that stretch out, seemingly endlessly. The weight of the cotton bags they carry is almost palpable. Given Frank's interest in documenting the social landscape of America, especially its marginalized communities, this image subtly speaks to the history of cotton production, deeply entangled with the exploitation of labor. In Frank’s work the mundane acquires a kind of gravity, as the history of this landscape bears down on these figures. The seemingly casual composition invites us to reflect on the economic and racial dynamics at play in the fields. It encourages a meditation on the lives of the workers, their struggles, and their resilience.