Established to celebrate the struggles that have taken place throughout history to defend (in reality much more often obtain) the rights of workers, Labor Day is held around the world every year first of May. An opportunity to reflect on the inequalities and lack of recognition that in many societies some classes of workers have suffered and continue to suffer, starting from the Industrial Revolution until today. These themes have also often been treated in art history, with works that reflect on the conditions of workers; but there is no shortage of masterpieces that celebrate the culture of work, the craft, the mastery, because every work is also a form of art.
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Work and workers in the history of art
We at Artribune we went in search of paintings that, explicitly or implicitly, tell of work and workers: starting from one of the most captivating portraits ever made in history, namely The tailor Of Giovan Battista Moroniand then move on to the hunters and reapers of Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Another famous portrait is the one created by Édouard Manet to the waitress Folies-Bergère barand then let yourself be captured by the atmosphere of The milkmaid Of Jan Vermeeralso author ofAllegory of Paintingin which a painter (perhaps Vermeer himself) is represented while painting in his studio.
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Work and workers in the history of art. From van Gogh to Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo
And then The potato eaters and the Sower at sunset Of Vincent van Gogh, The gleaners Of Jean-François Millet, The ironers Of Edgar Degas, The stonebreakers Of Gustave Courbet And The embroiderer Of Franz Xaver Simmto conclude our tour with the iconic work dedicated to workers: The fourth state Of Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo.
Desiree Maida
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