Werkman in de katoenververij 1868 - 1892

This is a drawing of a worker in a cotton factory, made by Anthon van Rappard in the Netherlands sometime in the late 19th century. Rappard was a socially conscious artist, and this image gives us insight into the world of labor at the time. Rappard seems to be making a point of showing the human cost of industrial production. We see a man in clogs and a cap, the uniform of a manual worker. This was a time of growing industrialization in the Netherlands, as well as growing concern about the rights and conditions of the working class. Images like this one were part of a broader debate that was taking place in the press and in political circles. To understand this image better, we might look at factory records and journalistic accounts of working conditions at the time, along with the history of social movements like the socialist party. All of these sources can help us to better understand the image and its role in the debates of its time.