Peasant from Ville d'Avray and her Child among Two Trees at the Bank of a Pond 

Painted by Camille Corot, sometime in the mid-19th century, this idyllic scene is rendered in oil paint on canvas, using traditional fine art materials to represent the life of a French peasant. The visible brushstrokes build up layers of texture. Notice the way Corot used thin washes of paint to create soft, hazy effects, especially in the sky and water, giving the scene an ethereal quality. But look closely, and you'll see he also used thicker, more deliberate strokes to define the figures and foliage. The making of this painting - the mixing of pigments, the stretching of canvas, the careful application of brushstrokes - elevates a scene of rural labor into the realm of fine art. By doing so, it asks us to consider the value we place on different kinds of work, and the social hierarchies embedded in artistic representation. So next time you encounter a landscape painting, remember that it is not only a window onto the world, but also a reflection of our values.