Although Hildo Krop only became a sculptor late in life, his production was great. In 1916 he gained employment with the Public Works department. As ‘city sculptor’ he did decorative carvings for many Amsterdam buildings and bridges. This gilt oakwood sculpture, probably a self-portrait, is a good example of his free work between 1920 and 1930. The gilt gives this striking thick-set figure with hammer and chisel an almost divine sheen; it is a homage to both labour and art.