Nineteenth century Paris was developed and modern, life there, was coloured and luxurious. The city had boulevards studded with cafes, restaurants, theatres and public parks where folks went and had merry times. In the nooks of this jolly and festive city, there lived the most downtrodden section of the society as well. Contrasted with the urban class, they lived a lowley life and became symbols of social inequality, marginalisation and unseen labour that accompanied the growth of the modern metropolis. Chiffonniers, french for Paris rag pickers, in the late nineteenth century, wandered through streets, mostly in the early morning or late night. They searched through rubbish on the streets, for objects that could be collected, reused or sold. They gathered, discarded materials such as old cloth, paper, glass, metal and other items that still posessed commercial value, using hooks while carrying a sack or basket. These items were then sold to dealers and eventually returned to systems of production through recycling, making rag pickers an important but neglected part of the economy. Painted above, is an old rag picker in shabby clothes, directly looking at the viewers as if confronting them about the injustice and inhumanity that they seamlessly allow. Vassily Perov, active in nineteenth century, was a member of the peredvizhniki and his body of work rarely deals with popular or celebratory subject matters. He paints the reality as it is and chooses to depict the sections and people of the society who have been systematically marginalised and ripped off of power. Through his painting, Perov attempts to make the ignored and unseen, seen, hence giving them the much needed representation. Belonging to a period of Russian realism, he paints his subjects in a realistic manner. In the painting above, his subjects occupy a central position in his composition, one of them gazing directly at the viewer, the other one turned away, thus pointing out how they keep being subjected to unfairness, quietly. In the foreground, his basket is kept that forms a symbol of the work that he does. Resting underneath a tree, the old man looks helpless but brave enough to have withstood the difficulties of his life. The faint shadow of the Paris city forms the background.
There are two elderly rag pickers resting under a tree after a tiring day of work depicted in this painting. The man sits facing the vieweris in simple, worn-out clothes, while the woman sits beside him with her head lowered. Their tired bodies and simple expressions suggest poverty, exhaustion and surrender. In the foreground, their belongings, including a large woven basket and a broken object, which shows their difficult nature of their livelihood. The subdued grey-blue colours and calm atmosphere create a feeling of sadness and loneliness. Perov does not portray these people as objects of mockery, instead, he gives them human dignity and emotional depth. The artist gave careful attention to their faces, clothing and posture which makes the viewer think about the lives of people living on the margins of society. Therefore, this painting reflects the nineteenth-century social-realist concern with poverty, labour and social inequality. Its main message is that behind poverty and a humble occupation are ordinary human beings who deserve sympathy, respect and dignity. Perov encourages the viewer to look beyond social status and recognize the humanity of the poor.
