Vissers met kruiwagens en zakken vol vis 19th century

This image titled 'Vissers met kruiwagens en zakken vol vis' translates to 'Fishermen with wheelbarrows and bags full of fish' and was created by the German Monogrammist M. What strikes me is the image's capacity to evoke questions about labor, class, and identity. In the context of historical European society, fishing was often associated with the working class. Consider how the figures are represented: their clothing, their tools, and their physical presence all speak to a life of manual labor. The wheelbarrows are heavy with fish, a testament to the physical demands of their work. The way the figure is burdened, almost anonymous, bearing a heavy load, raises questions about the representation and visibility of laboring bodies in art. In many ways, the image captures a specific socio-economic reality and reflects societal attitudes towards work and the working class. While the artist remains anonymous, the work offers a glimpse into the lives of those who sustained communities through their labor.