Girl sewing 1898

Nikolaos Gyzis created this sculpture of a girl sewing sometime in the late 19th century. It's made of plaster, a humble material, yet one capable of capturing intricate detail. Note how the rough, unfinished surface of the plaster gives the sculpture an immediate, almost raw quality. You can see the marks of the artist's tools, the traces of his labor in shaping the form. The posture of the girl and the texture of the plaster evoke the modesty of labor. Sewing, of course, was historically a task most often performed by women. By showing labor this way, Gyzis elevates it to the realm of fine art. He asks us to consider the value of work, and challenges any assumptions we might have about what is worthy of artistic representation. This simple sculpture invites us to appreciate both the skill of the artist and the labor of everyday life.