Twee jonge naaisters aan het werk 1851 - 1862

Adolphe Mouilleron created this print titled, 'Two Young Seamstresses at Work'. It's an image made with the relatively industrial technique of lithography. The print portrays two women engaged in the painstaking work of sewing, illuminated by the light coming through the window. Mouilleron has rendered the scene with careful attention to the details of their labor. The subtle gradations of tone achieved through lithography allows him to capture the texture of the fabric, and the concentration etched on the faces of these women. Consider how this contrasts with the relative ease of producing the image itself through lithography; an efficient means of reproducing images on a mass scale. This was a period of increasing industrialization, where many people were involved in textile production, often in difficult conditions. Through the image, Mouilleron invites us to reflect on the social context of the artwork, to value the contribution of those whose labor often goes unseen, and to question the boundaries between art, craft, and social commentary.