Kind naast een ossenkar before 1898

Eduard Arning created the photograph "Kind naast een ossenkar" sometime between 1855 and 1936. Arning's artistic practice was rooted in capturing the social realities around him, often focusing on the lives of ordinary people. This photograph depicts a child standing beside an ox-drawn cart, a common scene in the rural landscapes of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It invites us to consider the labor and lives of children in this historical period. How does the photograph reflect the traditional representations of childhood? Consider also the intersection of class and labor, as the child's presence alongside the working animals suggests the integration of children into the economic activities of the family. Arning’s photograph prompts reflection on the lives of working-class families and the roles of children within them, asking us to acknowledge both the innocence and the burdens of childhood in a bygone era.