cat. 29; female figure with weaver in his workshop at center; grey mat; gold frame with black paint on ridge and in crevice

The Weaver (Le tisserand), 1887

Not on Viewexpand_more

Léon-Augustin Lhermitte made this drawing at a time when cottage industries such as weaving faced intense competition from mechanized factories. It was a serious social concern across northern Europe, one Lhermitte helped to humanize with his art. He ennobled these workers by portraying the space as orderly and the couple as absorbed in the day’s work, seeming to confer about the fiber that will be spun and woven into cloth. The product of their labors slowly accumulates on the big roller near the man’s feet. The pair are presented less as individuals than as generalized types, emblematic of all traditional artisans threatened by industrialization.

Details
Title
The Weaver (Le tisserand)
Artist Life
Mont-Saint-Père, Aisne 1844–Paris 1925
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2022.80.1
Provenance
Sale, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, October 31, 1973, salle 7, M. Laurin. Sale, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, January 23, 1974, salle 10, M. Ader, no. 28. [Paul Prouté S. A., Paris, until 1974; to Weisberg]; Yvonne and Gabriel Weisberg, Minneapolis (1974–2022; given to Mia)
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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cat. 29; female figure with weaver in his workshop at center; grey mat; gold frame with black paint on ridge and in crevice