Staking van de mijnwerkers 1874 - 1894

Karl Meunier created this drawing, “Staking van de mijnwerkers”, using pen in grey ink. The entire composition is dominated by an intricate network of fine lines. This creates a sense of density and tension mirroring the subject. The eye is immediately drawn to the dynamic arrangement of figures and industrial forms spread across the visual plane. The use of line here is not merely descriptive; it is structural, creating forms and also suggesting movement and instability. The sky is rendered with swirling lines, which contrasts with the more rigid lines used to depict the industrial structures in the background. This difference introduces a visual dialogue between the organic and the industrial. The overall effect is one of a society in conflict, with the flowing lines of nature juxtaposed against the firm lines of industry, capturing the socio-political tensions of the time. The artist uses a formal language to express deeper cultural anxieties about labor, industry, and the human condition.