Glassmaking 1908

Lewis Hine made this photograph, Glassmaking, sometime in the early 20th century, most likely with a large format camera. Look at the soft gradations of tone in the sepia print, almost as if the image has been washed with a thin layer of paint. It’s a somber scene, but with these tonal variations, it feels somehow quite painterly. The surfaces depicted, from the brick of the furnace to the clothing of the workers, are rich with texture, each telling its own story of labor and time. In particular, the lines of tubes emerging from the machinery resemble gestural marks. They remind me of drawings made without lifting the pen from the page. There’s a stillness, almost a reverence, in how Hine captures these young workers in their industrial environment. This approach makes me think of other documentary photographers, like Walker Evans. But Hine's empathy is all his own. It's this quality that elevates the image beyond mere documentation, inviting us to reflect on the human cost of industry and the enduring spirit of those who labor within it.