Vase painting is one of the most important sources of information regarding labour in the ancient world. This comprehensive iconographic study focuses on the depiction of physically active persons. It deals not only with representations of skilled crafts but also with images of agriculture that are presented here in detail for the first time. This study scrutinises the discrepancy between the assessments and views of artisanal and agricultural activities that can be gleaned from the sparse written sources and how these tasks are represented in the visual arts. It illustrates how different views of social stereotypes can result in very disparate imagery.