The morning 1883

Jules Breton painted 'The Morning' with oil on canvas, depicting a pastoral scene likely from his native France. Breton was part of a larger movement of artists who turned to rural life in the mid-19th century. Consider the social context: industrialization was rapidly changing European societies, creating a sense of nostalgia for simpler, agrarian ways of life. This image plays into that sentiment. The peasants are idealized figures, bathed in soft sunlight. There is a sense of peace and harmony, far removed from the urban factories that were beginning to dominate the landscape. Breton exhibited regularly at the Paris Salon, the official art exhibition of the French Academy, and he had a huge following in academic circles in both Europe and the United States. To understand Breton fully, we would need to delve into the art criticism of the time and the writings of social historians, exploring the complex relationship between urban and rural, and the ways in which art both reflected and shaped those perceptions.