Bauernmädchen 1886

Albrecht Anker made this oil painting, titled "Farm Girl," sometime during his career as a Swiss painter known for his genre scenes of rural life. The image creates meaning through the visual codes of the time; the girl's clothing places her firmly within the rural working class of 19th-century Switzerland. Anker's work often reflects the values and concerns of his era, a time when Switzerland was undergoing significant social and economic changes. His paintings frequently depict scenes of everyday life in Swiss villages, celebrating the virtues of rural communities and the importance of traditional values. The institutional history of art in Switzerland is also relevant here. Anker was part of a generation of artists who sought to establish a distinct Swiss identity in the arts, separate from the dominant influences of France and Germany. To understand Anker's work better, we can look at historical archives, museum collections, and publications that document the art and culture of 19th-century Switzerland.