The artwork titled “A Worker’s Day” by Giacomo Balla, created in 1904 in Italy, exemplifies the Divisionism and Pointillism movements. Executed in oil on cardboard, the painting measures 135 x 100 cm and currently resides in a private collection. It belongs to the genre of cityscape.
“A Worker’s Day” presents a detailed portrayal of a construction site. The composition is divided into two sections, depicting different times of the day. On the left, under bright daylight, construction workers are seen engaged in their tasks, with the building framework prominently visible. The ground is strewn with materials, marked with fine, meticulous dots and dashes characteristic of Pointillism. The right section transitions into an evening scene, highlighting the same building now illuminated by a solitary streetlamp against a darkened sky. The use of color and light emphasizes the passing of time and the relentless toils of the workers. The intricate structure of the scaffolding and the multitude of dots create a vivid texture, blending elements of realism with the abstract to capture the essence of industrial urban life.
