Sujet

At the sorting table in the Diamond Diggings, 1872. Creator: Unknown.

Légende

At the sorting table in the Diamond Diggings, 1872. 'The South African diamond-diggings...are situated, for the most part, in the extensive valley of the Vaal river...The land here is intersected by long stony ridges, which consist of large fragments of rock thrown together, and covered with a deep ferruginous gravel. In this gravel,...between the loose rocks, the precious gems are found. The manner of working is simple enough. A claim, or piece of ground 30 ft. square, is occupied by two diggers in partnership, attended by their black servants. They remove the loose blocks of stone...they take up the gravel, and sift it thoroughly in a sieve rocked by a cradle. When the pebbles have been thus separated from the sand, they are cleansed and placed upon the sorting-table, and are most carefully examined, to find any diamonds that may lie in the heap. The result is often disappointing, but sometimes the diggers are richly rewarded for their toilsome drudgery by the discovery of a glittering prize. The n*gro assistants, being almost naked, have no pockets in which to conceal what they might be tempted to purloin; but they have been known to hide much larger articles of value about their persons, when they are not strictly watched'. From "Illustrated London News", 1872.

Crédit

Photo12/Heritage Images/The Print Collector

Notre référence

HRM25A06_111

Model release

NA

Property release

NA

Licence

Droits gérés

Format disponible

36,5Mo (3,9Mo) / 27,7cm x 33,0cm / 3273 x 3900 (300dpi)

Mots clés

Europe Africa Caucasian people black male man men South Africa arts industry country naked nude rich science diamond white geology art guy geological continent British tools tool European African uniform industrial dress mining diamonds South African poor poverty location century soil Colonial mine Britain newspapers press print concept shovel controversy sorting APPAREL B&W diamond mining nudity europeans africans pickaxe controversial engraved engraving nakedness pith helmet 19th century black & white black and white B W nineteenth century pith helmets The Print Collector colonialism diamond mine Illustrated London News pick axe TGN topee wood engraving ILN Cape Colony newspaper Unknown topees 19th-century clothing & dress fashion & clothing Felix Elie Regamey Felix Regamey Regamey Felix R?gamey F?lix Elie F?lix Elie R?gamey R?gamey F?lix-Elie Regamey Felix-Elie F?lix-Elie R?gamey Felix-Elie Regamey Regamey Felix Elie The Illustrated London News R?gamey F?lix F?lix R?gamey