Auf dem Weg zum Markt 

Carl Reichert's "Auf dem Weg zum Markt" is an oil painting, its traditional medium belying its commentary on labor. The paint is smoothly applied, creating realistic textures, from the dog's damp fur to the rough-hewn wooden cart. The subject of this painting is a dog pulling a cart of cabbages to market with a young man following along, but consider the social implications of the work. Reichert's process captures a moment in time when animal and human labor were integral to everyday life, and to an increasingly capitalist economy. The artist's hand is evident in the details of the scene, a reminder of the labor involved in creating art itself, and forcing us to question the divisions between fine art and craft. Here, the labor of making art mirrors the labor depicted within it. Ultimately, this painting challenges us to consider the value of labor, both within the artwork and in the world it represents.