Labor By Laurent Pichereau, France, 2023 (50 X 65)

This painting by Laurent Pichereau draws inspiration from Gustave Caillebotte's renowned 1875 masterpiece, The Floor Planers, currently housed at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. Caillebotte’s original work aimed to highlight the urban proletariat— a theme once considered trivial and even rejected by the jury of the official salon. In Pichereau's reinterpretation, he seeks to celebrate the skill and dedication of manual labor, values that are often overlooked in today’s modern world. Pichereau faced several challenges in bringing this piece to life, particularly in capturing the detailed parquet boards and achieving the nuanced shades between the sanded and varnished planks, as well as the light reflections from the window on the floor. Using pencil as his primary medium, he succeeded in creating a work that is both intense and profound, with a perspective that adds a striking realism to the scene. This piece was selected for exhibition at World Art Dubai 2024.