Mädchen am Herd 1895

Wilhelm Leibl painted "Mädchen am Herd" with oil on canvas. Leibl's method here seems to have been alla prima, or direct painting, giving the surface an immediacy. He's known for his realism, with a focus on the daily life of rural people, and we can read the painting’s surface as evidence of this. Notice how Leibl’s brushwork captures the textures of the girl’s simple clothes, as well as the rough-hewn surfaces of the kitchen. Given the amount of labor involved in the making of this painting, we should also consider the labor represented within it: that of a young woman performing her daily domestic tasks. Leibl doesn't romanticize this labor; instead, he presents it with a kind of quiet dignity. When we consider the painting's making and subject, we can recognize the social value of craft as well as the skilled labor of women.