The artwork titled “Smallest Boy is Joseph Fortin. His Mother (at Home) Said He is 14 Years Old. He Does Not Look It. 6 A.M. Group Going into Mill N. 6. 1. Cocheco Mfg. Co. Dover, N.H.”, created by artist Lewis Hine in 1909, is a photograph belonging to the Social Realism art movement. This piece is part of his “National Child Labor Committee photographs” series, which documents the working conditions of child laborers in early 20th-century America.
In the artwork, a group of six boys is seen standing in front of an industrial mill gate. The boys are dressed in work clothes, suggesting their role as child laborers. The expressions on their faces convey a mixture of weariness and resilience, underlining the harsh realities of their daily lives. The composition highlights the disparity between the children’s youth and the adult responsibilities imposed upon them. The background, consisting of a gated brick building, further emphasizes the industrial setting, providing context to the lives and struggles of the young workers. The photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the social issues related to child labor that Lewis Hine sought to bring to public attention.
