Arme arbeider wordt gearresteerd 1843

Jules David created this print, "Poor Worker Arrested", using lithography. The scene is dominated by the strong diagonal of the attic's roofline which creates a sense of compression and unease. This is reinforced by the stark contrast between the brightly lit skylight and the shadowed interior, reflecting the disruption of the arrest. The composition is divided into two distinct areas: the left, where the arrest takes place, and the right, where a mother and children huddle in distress. This division emphasizes the social disruption caused by poverty and state intervention. The artist uses linear perspective to draw the viewer's eye towards the figures, highlighting their expressions and gestures. The use of monochrome adds to the somber mood, underscoring the grim realities faced by the working class. David employs light and shadow not just to model forms, but to dramatize the social injustices prevalent in 19th-century Paris. The print serves as both a documentation and a critique of societal structures.