‘When a poor man came in sight’, by Arthur Gaskin

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When a poor man came in sight

Arthur Gaskin

Wood-engraving by Gaskin

5 x 3½ inches

A Book of Pictured Carols, 18

This powerful design exemplifies Gaskin’s focus on dramatic situations and deep feeling. The character is only ‘gath’ring fuel’, but the artist infuses the scene with a sense of epic endeavour and significance; the monumental figure is engrossed in his work as he struggles against the hard conditions, and seems heroic rather than humble. [Commentary continues below.]

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Scanned image and text by Simon Cooke.

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Gaskin’s dignifying of the character suggests his sympathy with the artisanal classes, imagining himself, as a practitioner of handicraft, as a toiler in art and only one step above the privations of the workers. The image is one of many illustrations in mid and late Victorian culture which celebrated the stoicism and resilience of working men.

Bibliography

A Book of Pictured Carols Designed by Members of the Birmingham Art School. London: George Allen, 1893.

Created 20 July 2020