Peasant Leaning on a Sack of Grain 1758

This is an etching called 'Peasant Leaning on a Sack of Grain' made in 1758 by Catherine-Francoise Beauvarlet, after Saint-Quentin. The image presents a rural worker in a moment of repose. However, it’s interesting to think about the institutional context in which this image was produced and consumed. In 18th-century France, the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture played a central role in dictating artistic taste and subject matter. While history painting was considered the most prestigious genre, images of everyday life, like this peasant, also found an audience. The etching was made during a period of growing social and economic inequality in France. The image of the peasant, therefore, exists within a complex social and political landscape. Is it a romanticized view of rural life? Or does it offer a commentary on the plight of the working class? To answer these questions, we can turn to historical sources, such as agricultural records, economic treatises, and political pamphlets. By examining the etching in its broader context, we can gain a deeper understanding of its social and cultural significance.