Russian peasants having tea 

Wilhelm Amandus Beer made this pencil drawing of Russian peasants having tea, most likely, sometime in the mid-19th century. At the time, many artists were interested in depicting scenes of everyday life, and this drawing fits into that trend, showing a group of peasants gathered around a table enjoying tea from a samovar, a traditional Russian tea urn. But this image is more than just a snapshot of daily life. It reflects the social and cultural values of the time. In 19th-century Russia, tea drinking was an important social ritual, and the samovar was a symbol of hospitality and togetherness. By depicting peasants engaged in this ritual, Beer offers a glimpse into the lives of a social group, whilst engaging with the aesthetic taste of the time. To truly understand the image, you would look into the history of tea culture in Russia, study other images of peasant life from the period, and examine Beer’s relationship to institutions of art.