Pitch Fork c. 1937

Earl Butlin created this image of a pitchfork sometime in the 20th century. Butlin was born in the middle of the Victorian era, a time of agricultural depression in Britain, caused by mass importation of grain from America. As a visual record of a farming tool, this simple watercolor evokes a sense of historical context. The pitchfork stands as a symbol of rural labour during a period of significant social and economic transformation. What can be said about the individual who wielded it? Perhaps a labourer born into a family bound to the land through generations of agricultural work. While seemingly devoid of overt emotion, the artwork subtly embodies the lived experiences of working-class individuals in rural Britain, inviting us to reflect on the human stories behind this humble farm tool.