‘New England Factory Life,’ 1868. Wood engraving drawn by Homer and engraved at Harper’s premises. 8¾ x 12 7/8 inches. Harper’s Weekly, XII (July 25, 1868): 472. Though a poet of landscape and country life, Homer occasionally reflects on urban squalor, poverty, and the working-class experience. The ragged clothes, downcast facial expressions and sluggish movement of the group shown here is a telling depiction of the draining, life-destroying tedium of work in a nineteenth century factory.
Photograph and text by Simon Cooke. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
Bibliography
Harper’s Weekly (1868).
Created 29 August 2023