Remembrance of a Valley in Bourgogne (Souvenir d'une vallee en Bourgogne) 

Editor: This etching by Alphonse Legros, titled "Remembrance of a Valley in Bourgogne," shows a serene landscape with two figures. It feels intimate, almost nostalgic. What aspects of this work stand out to you? Curator: The power of this piece lies in how Legros uses a seemingly simple landscape to comment on broader social issues of his time. Realism, as a movement, was invested in depicting the lives of everyday people and rural settings. Given this was etched by Legros, a man known to champion ordinary rural labor, and his eventual career teaching etching in Britain to many social realists, how might the scene speak to issues of rural life in France or Britain? Editor: Well, I see two figures – a seated child under a tree, and an adult, maybe a farmer, resting further away, both facing out towards the valley. Are they meant to be symbols or representations of specific groups in society? Curator: Precisely! The rural landscape became a battleground for artistic representation tied to ideas of national identity and social change. Think about the burgeoning Industrial Revolution at this time and its profound effect on land ownership, property rights, agricultural labour, and the social status of these country farmers in Legros' artistic network in Britain, and Bourgogne in France, itself. Legros seems to suggest that there's an undeniable connection between ordinary rural lives and national identity, which is mediated by art. What does it mean, then, that they sit to be painted by him? Editor: It highlights their importance, elevating them beyond just laborers. I never thought a landscape could have such a strong socio-political message. Curator: Exactly. It urges us to consider the social forces that influence how landscapes are seen, valued, and depicted within art history, both inside and outside the frame. I've found myself really engaged in this relationship. Editor: I feel more confident now that the scene speaks beyond face value.