Return of the Fagot-gatherer, 2nd plate (Le retour du fagotier) 

Alphonse Legros created this etching, "Return of the Fagot-gatherer," as a commentary on rural life. The image depicts a figure bent under the weight of gathered wood, returning home to a humble dwelling. Made in 19th-century France, this work reflects the era's complex social realities. Industrialization was drawing many away from rural areas, but the enduring hardships of peasant life persisted. Legros, deeply familiar with these struggles, uses the visual codes of realism to bring attention to the often-overlooked toils of the working class. The figure’s anonymity is striking. He represents a type, rather than an individual, highlighting the universality of labor and its effects on the body. To understand the context of this work more fully, consider exploring records from the time about rural poverty, alongside Legros' biography. Ultimately, the meaning of this image is contingent on the social realities it reflects, and on our engagement with the history that shaped it.