Stadsgezicht met boten op een rivier 1854

Eugène Cicéri created this city view with boats on a river using a printing technique called etching. In the 19th century, rapid industrialization transformed the urban landscape, impacting labor and class structures. Cicéri often depicted scenes of daily life, reflecting the changing social dynamics of his time. Here, the workers on the boats are framed against the backdrop of a bustling city, highlighting the contrast between labor and urban development. There is a quietness to this piece that belies the industry depicted; the figures are small, almost anonymous, and rendered in a monochromatic palette. This compositional choice speaks to a tension between the individual and the collective, the personal and the political. It raises questions about visibility, representation, and the ways in which certain stories are foregrounded while others fade into the background. How do we reconcile the beauty of this scene with the realities of labor it depicts?