Lastwagen in een steengroeve 1828

Victor Adam made this print of a quarry, titled 'Lastwagen in een steengroeve,' sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Prints like this, made in France and across Europe, often offered idealized views of modern industry. But here, we see the hard, physical labor still required, even in the age of machines. A horse-drawn wagon is being loaded with stone by men working with hand tools, while a large water wheel stands idle in the background. This image invites us to consider the social conditions of the working class during the Industrial Revolution, and the relationship between human labor and technological progress. By studying prints, drawings, and other images of this period, we can learn a great deal about the lived experiences of ordinary people and the changing nature of work in the 19th century.