Social Class Collection (#54)

What a sacrifice!, 1799. Artist: Francisco Goya
What a sacrifice!, 1799. Plate 14 of Los caprichos. Los Caprichos were published in 1799 at a time of social repression and economic crisis in Spain

Napoleon receiving at the Louvre the deputies of the army 8 December 1804, 1808. Artist: Gioacchino Giuseppe Serangeli
Napoleon receiving at the Louvre the deputies of the army after his coronation, 8 December 1804, 1808

Recall the Day of the Red Army, (Okna Rosta), 1920. Artist: Vladimir Mayakovsky
Recall the Day of the Red Army, (Okna Rosta), 1920

The Proletarian Dictatorships Year: October 1917 -October 1918, 1918. Artist: Alexander Apsit
The Proletarian Dictatorships Year: October 1917-October 1918, 1918

The USSR is the Crack Brigade of the World Proletariat, 1931. Artist: Gustav Klutsis
The USSR is the Crack Brigade of the World Proletariat, 1931

Elizabeth at the Hunt, late 19th century. Artist: Wilhelm Richter
Elizabeth at the Hunt, late 19th century. Elizabeth of Bavaria (1837-1898), Empress of Austria, out fox-hunting (perhaps with the Hungarian statesman Count Julius Andrassy)

Ouvriers du Batiment ( Construction Workers ), c1911. Artist: Theophile Alexandre Steinlen
Ouvriers du Batiment ( Construction Workers ), c1911. From the Musee d Orsay, Paris

Le Figaro et le Radical, 1871. Artist: Moloch
Le Figaro et le Radical, 1871. Cartoon from a series titled Les Silhouettes de 1871 published at the time of the Paris Commune. From a private collection

Mining Pitchblende, Cornwall, England, c1916. Radium, isolated by the Curies in 1898, is extracted from this ore

Over London by Rail, 1872. Artist: Adolphe Francois Pannemaker
Over London by Rail, 1872. Men and women in the back yards of tenements in the East End of London, with a steam locomotive passing over a bridge in the background

Agricultural Labourers Union meeting in Farringdon Street, London, 1877. Founded by Joseph Arch and inaugurated at Leaming in 1872, the National Union of Farm Labourers grew quickly, attracting 86

Ground plan of Prince Alberts model dwellings for the labouring classes, 1851. A number of these buildings were constructed

Prince Alberts model dwelling for the labouring classes, 1851. A number of these buildings were constructed. They were of hollow brick construction and housed four families, each occupying a flat

London Dockers Strike, September 1889. Among the aims of the strike was the establishment of a minimum wage of 6d (2.5 pence per hour) but it failed

Joseph Arch (1826-1919), English agricultural worker, trade unionist and politician, 1886
Joseph Arch (1826-1919), English agricultural worker, trade unionist and politician. The interior of Archs cottage at Barford, Warwickshire

(James) Keir Hardie, Scottish-born British trade unionist and Labour politician, 1903. A founder member of the Labour Party

London dock labourers strike, 1889. Scenes along the strikers procession. Among the aims of the strike was the establishment of a minimum wage of 6d (2.5p) per hour, but it failed

Children waiting for soup at dinner time, London Board School, Denmark Terrace, Islington, 1889. From The Graphic London 7 December 1889

Teaching girls to read in the Ragged School Union school, Lambeth, London, 1868. The Ragged School Union was a charity founded in 1844 by the social reformer Lord Shaftesbury to establish schools

Boy crossing sweeper, 1893. Crossing sweepers could earn a few pence by sweeping the road clean of horse droppings and any other such dirt so that persons higher up the social ladder could cross

Boy chimney sweeps eating their evening meal, 1861. From London Labour and the London Poor by Henry Mayhew. (London, 1861)

The Country Walk, c1880. A family from a mill town, whose chimneys are in the background, taking a Sunday walk

Baker and Finnemores pen factory, St Pauls Square, Birmingham, England, 1870
Bakers and Finnemores Pen Factory, St Pauls Square, Birmingham, England, 1870. On the left, blanks are being stamped from strips of steel with machines powered through shaft and belting

Making chains in the Cradley Heath district of the Black Country in the English Midlands, 1890. Women made the smaller sizes of chain. A No.8 had about 79 links per metre

Karl Marx, German political, social and economic theorist, late 19th century. The father of modern communism, Marx (1818-1883)

Wentworth Street, Whitechapel, London, 1872. A scene depicting life in the poor Jewish quarter of the city. From London: A Pilgrimage by Blanchard Jerrold and Gustave Dore. (London, 1872)

Dudley Street, Seven Dials, London, 1872. Unkempt, dirty children play in the street while a cab tries to drive through without crushing them

Laundresses strike, 1891. A strikers leader addressing a meeting in Hyde Park, London. Cartoon from Punch. (London, 27 June 1891)

Women operatives tending power looms in a Yorkshire woollen mill, 1883

Mammons Rents, 1883. The housing conditions of a poor labouring family, partly caused by high rents. Landlords were making up to 50% on their investments in already condemned properties

Low rental workmens dwellings built by the Birkenhead Dock Co, c1844 (c1860). Elevation showing blocks of 3 houses of 4 floors, each divided into 2 dwellings with a living room

Strike, 1895. Artist: Mihaly Munkacsy
Strike, 1895

Pullman sleeping car on the Union Pacific Railroad, c1869. Wood engraving

Sleeping compartment on the Orient Express, c1895. Wood engraving published Leipzig

Compartment on the Orient Express reserved for women, c1895. Wood engraving published in Leipzig

Soviet poster commemorating May Day, 1950. Artist: A Bearob
Soviet poster commemorating May Day, 1950

Lets Do It!, poster, Russian, 1944. Artist: I Serebriany
Lets Do It!, poster, Russian, 1944. A female worker lifting a pallet of bricks

Domestic servants, 1901. Cook and kitchen maid, parlour maid and scullery maids. Chapter headpiece from The Book of Household Management by Isabella Beeton. (London, 1901). First published 1859-1860

Footman, 1888. Footman presenting a card that a caller has left for the lady of the house. (London, 1888)

The Music of the Future, 1887. Wagners conception of opera as a unification of musical, poetic and scenic elements, which revolutionised the 19th century conception of the genre

The Tempter, 1886. Artist: Joseph Swain
The Tempter, 1886. The spectre of Anarchy looms tall over the working class man as, blindly, he heads towards the edge of a precipice

Our (Very) Friendly Societies!, 1886. Artist: Joseph Swain
Our (Very) Friendly Societies!, 1886. The representative of Britains honest and sober working-class is diligently posting his small savings into the door of the Cormorant Friendly Society

The Great Self-Taxed, 1873. Artist: Joseph Swain
The Great Self-Taxed, 1873. The Liberal Chancellor of the Exchequer, Robert Lowe, makes off with a sack labelled Surplus £ 5, 000, 000

The Real Cap of Liberty, 1871. Artist: Joseph Swain
The Real Cap of Liberty, 1871. The British lion asks the ass What can that Cap Promise, that My Crown doesn t Perform? Eh, Stoopid

Fire and Smoke, 1871. Artist: Joseph Swain
Fire and Smoke, 1871. A Mephistophelean French communist points the way with his petrol bomb as he urges the British workman to fight with him in the cause

Nae That Fou!, 1870. Artist: Charles Samuel Keene
Nae That Fou!, 1870. This cartoon illustrates the growing difficulties that the middle-classes were experiencing in finding, and retaining, good servants

Obstructives, 1870. Artist: Joseph Swain
Obstructives, 1870. In the doorway of the school, a variety of Ministers and Nonconformists argue, whilst Mr Punch tells Policeman Bull that this prevents the two working-class children from entering

Renewing The Lease, 1870. Artist: Joseph Swain
Renewing The Lease, 1870. Madame La France, in the costume of the upper class matron, reads over some papers presented to her by Emperor Napoleon

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"Exploring Social Class Through Art: A Glimpse into the Struggles and Aspirations" In this captivating collection of artworks, we delve into the intricate tapestry of social class, unraveling its complexities and shedding light on the lives of individuals across different strata. Each piece tells a unique story, offering us a glimpse into the struggles and aspirations that defined their existence. The Worker and Kolkhoz Woman sculpture by Vera Mukhina stands tall in Moscow, symbolizing the unity between laborers and farmers during Soviet times. This powerful black-and-white photograph captures their strength amidst societal divisions. Moving to 1872 Westminster, Gustave Doré's The Devils Acre transports us to a notorious slum area where poverty reigns supreme. With meticulous detail, Doré exposes the harsh reality faced by those trapped in destitution while challenging society's indifference towards their plight. Hubert von Herkomer's Our Village takes us back to c1890 when rural life was marked by simplicity and close-knit communities. Here we witness an idyllic scene where neighbors come together, transcending social barriers through shared experiences. An Elegant Lady in a Rowing Boat presents an intriguing contrast as it portrays opulence against a serene backdrop. This oil painting invites contemplation on how wealth can shape one's position within society while highlighting leisurely pursuits enjoyed exclusively by the upper classes. Gustave Doré returns with Limehouse Dock in 1872, revealing another facet - industrialization versus manual labor. Amidst towering cranes and bustling activity, workers struggle for survival amidst unforgiving conditions imposed upon them. Juxtaposing time periods further is The Crane on the Antwerp quay by the frozen Scheldt from 1622—an ode to maritime commerce that fueled economic disparities during Europe's Golden Age. It reminds us how trade shaped hierarchies within societies centuries ago.