Worker Collection (page 100)

Quarrymen, c1900 (1902). Artist: Robert Hermann Sterl
Quarrymen, c1900 (1902). From The Studio Volume 25 [The Offices of the Studio Ltd. London, 1902.]

Pay-Day, c1892-1906, (1906). Artist: John Shelton Eland
Pay-Day. After an original drawing by John Shelton Eland (1872-1933). From The Studio Volume 37 [London Offices of the Studio, London, 1906]

Girl munition workers at their lathes in a Scottish mill, c1914. By June 1917, roughly 80% of the weaponry and ammunition used by the British army during World War I was being made by munitionettes

A metal worker with automatic drill stripping an engine casing, 1940. From Our Air Force published by Ward, Lock & Co. Ltd. 1940

Harvesting at Tolpuddle, (1824), 1934
Harvesting at Tolpuddle. The Tolpuddle Martyrs were a group of 19th century agricultural labourers from Dorset who were convicted of swearing a secret oath as members of the Friendly Society of

Tin workers, Cairo, Egypt, late 19th or early 20th century

Road mending, Bhamo, Burma, 1908. Artist: Stereo Travel Co
Road mending, Bhamo, Burma, 1908. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Men about to draw a heavy load, Rangoon, Burma, 1908. Artist: Stereo Travel Co
Men about to draw a heavy load, Rangoon, Burma, 1908. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Workers cutting leather for shoes in a factory, Lynn, Massachusetts, USA, 20th century. Artist: Keystone View Company
Workers cutting leather for shoes in a factory, Lynn, Massachusetts, USA, 20th century. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Weaving linen fabric, Montreal, Canada, early 20th century. Artist: Keystone View Company
Weaving linen fabric, Montreal, Canada, early 20th century. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Testing engines in an automobile factory, Detroit, Michigan, USA, 20th century. Artist: Keystone View Company
Testing engines in an automobile factory, Detroit, Michigan, USA, 20th century. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Sewing room in a large shoe factory, Syracuse, New York, USA, early 20th century. Artist: Keystone View Company
Sewing room in a large shoe factory, Syracuse, New York, USA, early 20th century. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Solar evaporation, salt manufacture, Syracuse, New York, USA, 20th century. Artist: Keystone View Company
Solar evaporation, salt manufacture, Syracuse, New York, USA, 20th century. Collecting, draining and hauling salt. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Weighing and sorting raw silk skeins, South Manchester, Connecticut, USA, early 20th century. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Sugar beet pulp and juice flowing from tank to tank, Montreal, Canada, early 20th century(?). Stereoscopic card. Detail

General view of a large printing room in a cotton mill, Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA, 20th century. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Doubling frame in a large woollen mill, Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA, early 20th century(?). Stereoscopic card. Detail

Firing tableware in the Noted Pottery Centre, Trenton, New Jersey, USA, early 20th century. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Lasting machine shaping shoes in shoe factory, Lynn, Massachusetts, USA, early 20th century(?). Stereoscopic card. Detail

Filling a shell with nitro-glycerine, oil field in Pennsylvania, USA, early 20th century(?). Preparatory to shooting the well. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Artists decorating porcelain ware, Trenton, New Jersey, USA, early 20th century(?). Artist: Keystone View Company
Artists decorating porcelain ware, Trenton, New Jersey, USA, early 20th century(?). Stereoscopic card. Detail

Spinning room, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, late 19th or early 20th century(?). Artist: Keystone View Company
Spinning room, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, late 19th or early 20th century(?). Winding bobbins with woollen yarn for weaving. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Offices of Perez and Sanjurio, importers and exporters, Asuncion, Paraguay, 1911. A print from Picturesque Paraguay by Alexander K MacDonald, Charles H Kelly, London, 1911

Stacking salt in the great salt fields of Solinen, Black Sea, Russia, 1898. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Stacking salt in the great salt fields of Solinen, Black Sea, Russia, 1898. Detail from a stereoscopic card

Decorating Awata porcelain ware in the famous Kinkosan works, Kyoto, Japan, 1904. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Decorating Awata porcelain ware in the famous Kinkosan works, Kyoto, Japan, 1904. Detail from a stereoscopic card

A Chinese saw mill, Peking, China, 1900. Artist: Keystone View Company
A Chinese saw mill, Peking, China, 1900. Detail from a stereoscopic card

The Combing Work, c1750(?). Textile workers combing or carding wool

Feeding silkworms, 18th century(?). The Manner of Placing the Leaves on Scaffolds and Shelves to Feed Silkworms

Working with bristles in a warehouse, London, 1938. Bristles for June auction

Steel manufactures of Sheffield, Yorkshire, 1866. Artist: M Jackson
Steel manufactures of Sheffield, Yorkshire, 1866. The Hull, or workshop, of the razor grinder, with the use of the fan. A print from The Illustrated London News, 20 January 1866

Printing presses, 19th or 20th century. Artist:s Miller
Printing presses, 19th or 20th century. Albion hand-press; Liberty platen jobbing-press; Single-cylinder jobbing machine; Single-cylinder jobbing

Bulking tea at a tea warehouse, 1874. A print from Sketches in a Tea Warehouse, a supplement to The Illustrated London News, 12 December 1874

Refilling chests in a tea warehouse, 1874. A print from Sketches in a Tea Warehouse, a supplement to The Illustrated London News, 12 December 1874

Printing; type composing and distributing machines, 19th or 20th century. Youngs type composer, Mitchells type composing machine and a Mitchells type distributor

Dock Yard, Sheerness, Kent, 1830. Artist: T Garner
Dock Yard, Sheerness, Kent, 1830. Situated on the Isle of Sheppey at the mouth of the River Medway, Sheerness was a Royal Navy dockyard from 1669 until 1960, when it closed

Hop pickers, Kentish hop fields, c1922. A print from Peoples of all Nations, Volume III, edited by JA Hammerton, The Fleetway House, London, c1922

Blacksmith at work, England, c1922. Artist: Sidney H Nicholls
Blacksmith at work, England, c1922. A print from Peoples of all Nations, Volume III, edited by JA Hammerton, The Fleetway House, London, c1922

Fabric printing during the reign of Louis XVI of France, 18th century (1882-1884). Artist: J Guillaume
Fabric printing during the reign of Louis XVI of France, 18th century (1882-1884). A print from La France et les Francais a Travers les Siecles, Volume III, F Roy editor, A Challamel, Saint-Antoine

Spinning cotton, Japan, 1904. A print from Japan, its History, Arts and Literature, Volume V, by Captain F Brinkley, TC and EC Jack, 34 Henrietta Street, London WC2 and Edinburgh, 1904

Carpenters at work, Japan, 1904. A print from Japan, its History, Arts and Literature, Volume V, by Captain F Brinkley, TC and EC Jack, 34 Henrietta Street, London WC2 and Edinburgh, 1904

Primitive pole lathe, from a Japanese trades encyclopedia, 1828 (1956). A print from Things, a volume about the origin and early history of many things, common and less common

Making and using elm tree pumps to drain mines before the days of the steam engine, 1556 (1956). From De re Metallica by Georgius Agricola

Printworkers harrassed by skeletons, 1499 (1956). From A Dance With Death. A print from Things, a volume about the origin and early history of many things, common and less common

Newspaper printing on a ten feed semi rotary machine, 1860 (1956). A print from Things, a volume about the origin and early history of many things, common and less common, essential and inessential

Medieval glassworks, c1300 (1956). A print from Things, a volume about the origin and early history of many things, common and less common, essential and inessential, by Readers Union

The Pretoria mint before it was taken over by the British, Transvaal, South Africa, 1900. The capital of the South African Republic (Transvaal) during the Boer War

Quarry, Naperville, Illinois, USA. Artist: The Universal Photo Art Company
Quarry, Naperville, Illinois, USA. Stereoscopic card detail

Plant and switchyards of a wood preserving company, Escanaba, Michigan, USA. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Plant and switchyards of a wood preserving company, Escanaba, Michigan, USA. Stereoscopic card detail

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The worker, a central figure in the capitalist pyramid, has been depicted throughout history in various forms of art and propaganda. From American socialist posters to Diego Rivera's murals at The Detroit Institute of Arts, these artworks shed light on the struggles and triumphs of workers. In 1911, an American Socialist poster showcased the harsh reality faced by workers within the capitalist system. It emphasized the unequal distribution of wealth and power, with a small elite benefiting from the labor of many. Diego Rivera's mural depicting the automobile industry in Detroit during the 1930s captured both the grandeur and hardships experienced by workers. It showcased their tireless efforts amidst towering machinery, highlighting their crucial role in driving industrial progress. During China's Cultural Revolution, Chairman Mao became an iconic symbol for workers' empowerment. A cultural revolution poster portrayed him as a guiding force leading them towards a brighter future. Labour Party posters from 1910 challenged societal inequalities such as House of Lords' rejection of budget reforms. These visuals aimed to rally support for fairer treatment and representation for working-class individuals. From Geevor Tin Mine in Cornwall to coal mines in South Wales and England during different time periods, images depict miners enduring grueling conditions underground while contributing to fueling industries above ground. Gustave Caillebotte's painting "The Floor Planers" immortalized manual laborers engaged in mundane yet essential tasks. Their stoic expressions reveal their dedication despite monotonous work environments. Artists like El Lissitzky used powerful imagery such as "Beat the Whites with Red Wedge" to promote communist ideals after World War I. This poster conveyed unity among workers against oppressive forces through its bold design elements. Soviet propaganda posters further highlighted worker mobilization during Stalin's Five-Year Plan era. Vladimir Lyushin's artwork celebrated young communists as shock troops driving economic growth through industrialization efforts. These diverse artworks remind us that workers have played a pivotal role in shaping societies and economies.