The Hay Card 1882

Adolphe Monticelli painted this scene of a hay cart with oil on canvas, but we don't know exactly when. It presents us with an interesting perspective on the social conditions of rural labor in 19th century France. We see the heavy load and laborers from a low vantage point, perhaps suggesting the artist's empathy with their hard work. But it's also easy to miss those social conditions because the artist's expressive brushstrokes almost obscure any coherent image. Monticelli rejected the academic standards promoted by institutions like the École des Beaux-Arts, where artists usually trained. How should we interpret the image's meaning? To understand better, art historians might look at the artist's biography and exhibition history. They might research rural economies in 19th-century France and ask how they were changing due to industrialization. What does this painting tell us about the relationship of art and society? Art is inseparable from its social and institutional context.