Hands of Industry: Women at Spinning Wheels, India, c. 1890

Details

•Museum-grade reproduction of a sepia-toned documentary photograph (c. 1890s)

• Shows three women spinning yarn by hand with traditional charkhas (spinning wheels)

• Captures the rhythm of rural craft and women’s labor in colonial India

• Digitally restored to highlight texture, expression, and historical context

• Printed on archival cotton rag paper with fade-resistant pigment inks

About the Artwork

In this scene from late 19th-century India, three women work seated on the ground, surrounded by charkhas—traditional hand-spinning wheels—and spools of raw cotton. Smiling, engaged, and absorbed in motion, they embody the quiet perseverance of daily craft. At a time when spinning was both a household duty and, later, a symbol of independence, this image offers a layered look into pre-industrial textile labor and women's economic roles. A rare and compelling portrait of community, dexterity, and dignity.