Three labourers

Three men depicted outdoors on uneven ground. The man on the left is merely sketched; he lies on his side facing the viewer, asleep with knees drawn up, wearing only a hip-cloth (veshti, lungi). His hair is closely shorn. Further forward, slightly behind a mound of earth, stand the other two men. Both have short curly hair and hold a worn felt hat (toppiya) in their left hands. Both wear a double-folded hip-cloth to the knees, tucked at the waist. The central man has a cloth knotted over his right shoulder; the man on the right wears something resembling a sleeveless vest (kamisaya) of checkered fabric. The central man carries a large machete over his right arm. The man on the right carries a pickaxe over his right shoulder, holding its point with his right hand. Based on appearance and clothing, the men likely originate from South India or Jaffna, all brought to Colombo for reconstruction work. Sheet 17 from a sketchbook of 117 sheets.