Bilder Antonio Gregori (active 18th century) – Tobacco Production by Enslaved Workers – Fabbrica del Tabacco – Copperplate Engraving (18th Century)

Beskrivning

This 18th-century copperplate engraving titled Fabbrica del Tabacco ("Tobacco Factory") depicts enslaved African laborers engaged in various stages of tobacco processing in a colonial setting. The labeled figures include men washing, rolling, and bundling tobacco leaves under a thatched structure, while one sits outside sorting the harvest. The image illustrates the brutal dependency of the transatlantic tobacco economy on forced labor and racial hierarchies, a common theme in European visualizations of colonial enterprise. 

Signed Ant. Gregori scul. F., the engraving is attributed to Antonio Gregori, an Italian engraver active in the 18th century, known for his work in ethnographic and colonial illustration. This plate was likely part of a larger series documenting agricultural and industrial labor practices in the Americas and the Caribbean.

Artist or Maker:
Antonio Gregori

Dimensions:
21 cm x 28 cm

Medium:
Copperplate Engraving

Date:
18th Century

Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.