Fast Asleep 1896

Léon Bazile Perrault made this painting, Fast Asleep, with oil paints. The rich, buttery texture of oil allows for seamless blending, a technique Perrault uses masterfully to depict the soft, rosy skin of the sleeping child. Notice how the artist layers thin glazes of color to create depth and luminosity, particularly in the folds of the woman’s clothing and the golden hues of the hay. This process, built on a tradition stretching back centuries, isn't just about technical skill; it's about conveying a particular vision of idealized rural life. The labor and skill in mixing pigments, layering paint, and achieving such a high level of finish, stands in contrast to the apparent ease and tranquility of the subject matter. Ultimately, considering the material properties and the labor-intensive processes involved in its creation allows us to appreciate not only the technical virtuosity of Perrault's work, but also its complex relationship to broader social and economic structures.