(解説文要約)
石炭層が薄い切羽での採炭風景です。
少しでも体を低くするためにワラジははかず、腕をたたみ込んで採炭しています。
ダイナマイトを使わない時代は腕がものを言いました。
硬い岩に出くわすとツルハシの刃先が潰れますので、
時には採炭の途中であっても、後山が坑外の鍛冶屋に焼き直しに行くこともあったようです。
This is a painting depicting a miner
working at a narrow coal bed.
To lower his body as much as possible, this
barefoot miner folded his arms against himself while digging.
Until dynamite
came into use, coal mining relied on such miners' skills.
When they encountered
hard rocks, the tip of their picks wore down.
Then their helpers, called
"Atoyama", had to run outside to a blacksmith for a quick repair.