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Carrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection

Carrying a burden on one's shoulders is an age-old symbol of resilience and strength

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: Porter Carrying a Load; Industrious Classes in Constantinople, 1854. Creator: Unknown

Porter Carrying a Load; Industrious Classes in Constantinople, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Consul's Attendant; Industrious Classes in Constantinople, 1854. From "Cassells Illustrated Family Paper; London Weekly 31/12/1853 - 30/12/1854"

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: The Small Carrying of the Cross. Creator: Unknown

The Small Carrying of the Cross. Creator: Unknown
The Small Carrying of the Cross

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: The Small Carrying of the Cross. Creator: Jacques Callot

The Small Carrying of the Cross. Creator: Jacques Callot
The Small Carrying of the Cross

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: The Carrying of the Cross, c. 1618. Creator: Jacques Callot

The Carrying of the Cross, c. 1618. Creator: Jacques Callot
The Carrying of the Cross, c. 1618

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: Christ Carrying the Cross, c. 1624 / 1625. Creator: Jacques Callot

Christ Carrying the Cross, c. 1624 / 1625. Creator: Jacques Callot
Christ Carrying the Cross, c. 1624/1625

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: Woman Carring a Vase on Her Head, dated 1528. dated 1528. Creator: Agostino Veneziano

Woman Carring a Vase on Her Head, dated 1528. dated 1528. Creator: Agostino Veneziano
Woman Carring a Vase on Her Head, dated 1528

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: Below there!, Cries of London, 1828. Artist: Engelmann, Graf, Coindet and Company

Below there!, Cries of London, 1828. Artist: Engelmann, Graf, Coindet and Company
Below there! View of a coalman bent double as he removes a heavy sack of coal from his cart. From Cries of London, 1828

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: The Atlas of the Landed Interest, 1784

The Atlas of the Landed Interest, 1784. Thomas Powys, MP for Northamptonshire, carries a large bale representing the interests of the landowners

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: Man carrying a huge load, Bumthang, Bhutan

Man carrying a huge load, Bumthang, Bhutan

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: Shan woman and child, Upper Burma, 1908. Artist: Stereo Travel Co

Shan woman and child, Upper Burma, 1908. Artist: Stereo Travel Co
Shan woman and child, Upper Burma, 1908. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: Picturesque Chinese joss house, Bhamo, Burma, 1908. Artist: Stereo Travel Co

Picturesque Chinese joss house, Bhamo, Burma, 1908. Artist: Stereo Travel Co
Picturesque Chinese joss house, Bhamo, Burma, 1908. A joss house is a temple for the worship of shen, deities, saints, ancestors and supernatural beings in Chinese folk religion

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: The much used carrier of Burma, Rangoon, 1908. Artist: Stereo Travel Co

The much used carrier of Burma, Rangoon, 1908. Artist: Stereo Travel Co
The much used carrier of Burma, Rangoon, 1908. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: Woman with a load of wood, Afghanistan, c1924. Artist: Colonel JG Edwards

Woman with a load of wood, Afghanistan, c1924. Artist: Colonel JG Edwards
Woman with a load of wood, Afghanistan, c1924. A print from Countries of the World, edited by JA Hammerton, first volume, The Fleetway House, London, c1924

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: Charcoal bearers on the road to Peking, China, late 19th or early 20th century

Charcoal bearers on the road to Peking, China, late 19th or early 20th century

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: Coolies, street scene in Tokyo, 1896. Artist: Underwood & Underwood

Coolies, street scene in Tokyo, 1896. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Coolies, street scene in Tokyo, 1896. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: Burden bearers of Japan, Tokyo, 1896. Artist: Strohmeyer and Wyman

Burden bearers of Japan, Tokyo, 1896. Artist: Strohmeyer and Wyman
Burden bearers of Japan, Tokyo, 1896. Stereoscopic slide

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: Bacchus, 1560. Artist: Valerio di Simone Cioli

Bacchus, 1560. Artist: Valerio di Simone Cioli
Bacchus, 1560. Statue in the Boboli Gardens, Florence, Italy. It shows Pietro Barbino, Cosimo Is court dwarf, as Bacchus, riding a tortoise

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: Break of Gauge at Gloucester, Gloucestershire, 6th June 1846. Artist: WJ Linton

Break of Gauge at Gloucester, Gloucestershire, 6th June 1846. Artist: WJ Linton
Break of Gauge at Gloucester, Gloucestershire, 6th June 1846. Plate taken from the Illustrated London News (6 June 1846) showing passengers

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: Atlas holding the universe on his shoulders

Atlas holding the universe on his shoulders. Statue in the Royal Palace, Amsterdam

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: Carrying the Cross, c1480-1516. Artist: Hieronymus Bosch

Carrying the Cross, c1480-1516. Artist: Hieronymus Bosch
Carrying the Cross, c1480-1516. Christ on the road to Calvary surrounded by a crowd of gruesome-faced figures

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: The Youth of Jesus, c1897. Artist: James Tissot

The Youth of Jesus, c1897. Artist: James Tissot
The Youth of Jesus, c1897. Jesus carrying a plank of wood down the street while Mary and Joseph, a carpenter, watch from their doorway. From Life of Our Saviour Jesus Christ by JJ Tissot

Background imageCarrying A Burden On Ones Shoulders Collection: A Legend of Camelot - Part 2, 1866. Artist: George du Maurier

A Legend of Camelot - Part 2, 1866. Artist: George du Maurier
A Legend of Camelot - Part 2, 1866. A woman carries a man by his feet over her shoulder. Three men on the left stand by and watch her, somewhat amused



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Carrying a burden on one's shoulders is an age-old symbol of resilience and strength. From the small carrying of the cross depicted by unknown artists to Jacques Callot's powerful renditions, these artworks capture the weight we bear in life. Just as Christ carried his cross, we too face our own trials and tribulations. Agostino Veneziano's portrayal of a woman balancing a vase on her head exemplifies the delicate balance required to carry our burdens gracefully. In London, amidst the hustle and bustle, Engelmann, Graf, Coindet and Company immortalized "Below there. " - cries that echo through time as reminders of burdens shared by all. The Atlas of the Landed Interest serves as a reminder that even those with power carry their own responsibilities. From Bhutan to Burma, photographs captured moments where individuals carried immense loads upon their backs. Whether it be a man hauling an enormous load or a Shan woman with her child in tow, these images depict physical burdens that mirror emotional ones we often shoulder. Journeying further into Afghanistan reveals Colonel JG Edwards' photograph showcasing a woman laboriously carrying wood—a testament to human endurance in harsh environments. Through art and photography alike, we are reminded that burdens come in many forms; they test our limits but also shape us into stronger individuals. So let us embrace our struggles like Atlas holding up the world or Christ bearing his cross—knowing that within each burden lies an opportunity for growth and transformation.