Indianapolis Newsboy, 41 Inches High, 1908 1908

Lewis Hine made this photograph, *Indianapolis Newsboy, 41 Inches High*, in 1908. The sepia tone gives it a kind of antique feel, like you're looking at something from a long time ago, which you are. What strikes me is the contrast between the boy, small and serious, and the barber's pole he's leaning against, with its bold stripes and the star, like a little spark of hope. The way the light falls, it's almost like the pole is protecting him, but it also dwarfs him. Hine seems to be interested in the surface textures of the urban environment, how the rough surface of the street contrasts with the smooth swirl of the barber's pole. The photograph reminds me of the work of Jacob Riis, another photographer who documented the lives of the poor in New York City. The picture raises uncomfortable questions about childhood, labor, and what we value as a society. Art isn't just about what you see; it's about what it makes you think and feel.