Smoke Break, 1910 | A Portrait of Youth and Hardship | Super Luxe Rice Decoupage Paper

A super luxe smooth rice paper of museum quality designed for fine art printing, giving a nostalgic, elegant style.  Environmentally friendly rice decoupage paper that is made of  recycled ‘fibers’, holding the FSC mark of approval for responsible forestry.

There’s something haunting yet deeply human in the painting “Smoke Break, 1910.” Three boys huddle together in their work clothes—caps tilted, sleeves rolled, and faces dirtied by labour—sharing a smoke as though they’ve lived a hundred years. Set against the shadowy backdrop of an early industrial scene, their expressions balance somewhere between fatigue and defiance.

This evocative painting captures a moment suspended in time—a candid glimpse into youth shaped not by schoolyards and toys, but by factory soot and the weight of survival. It’s a stark reminder of the world children once inherited: long hours, little pay, and the illusion of adulthood bought with a cigarette.

More than just social commentary, this image is rich with storytelling. Each boy has his own tale etched in his stance, his eyes, the way he holds that cigarette—not as rebellion, but ritual. In showcasing their camaraderie and weariness, “Smoke Break, 1910” doesn’t glorify the past; it honours the children who endured it and challenges us to never forget.