Venetian Girls with a Gondoliere 

Eugen von Blaas painted this scene of Venetian life in the late nineteenth century. Although it’s a painting, look closely and you’ll see the artistry extends to textiles, like the lace shawls draped on the wall and the voluminous skirts of the women’s dresses. Notice the yarn winder in the center of the room; it speaks to the labor-intensive process of textile production. The painting draws attention to the material culture of Venetian society, with hand-made pieces, each imbued with the time and skill of their makers. Even the gondolier’s worn clothing hints at the physical demands of his work. The artist captures a moment of leisure, yet it’s interwoven with a sense of the work that underpins their lifestyle. By focusing on these details, Von Blaas elevates the everyday, reminding us that the material world is always shaped by labor, and the skills of making, and the objects that fill our lives are rich with social and cultural significance.