Head of a Peasant Woman, 1874
Léon-Augustin Lhermitteexpand_more
Charcoal and chalk on off-white paperexpand_more
Gift of Dr. Gabriel P. and Yvonne M.L. Weisbergexpand_more 2017.44.8
Not on Viewexpand_more
Léon-Augustin Lhermitte’s sympathetic and informed portrayals of country life proved popular with Parisian audiences. In this accomplished study, we see him treating his humble subject with the same dignity and intense scrutiny that other artists devoted to paying sitters.
The woman’s careworn face reveals inner strength even as her averted eyes suggest world-weary preoccupations. Lhermitte has captured the loose fleshiness of her neck, the hair that refuses to be contained by her bonnet. He took full advantage of the rough texture of his paper, sometimes letting it keep the full load of pigment from the tip of his charcoal, sometimes smoothing over the texture by gently smearing his marks.
Details
- Title
- Head of a Peasant Woman
- Artist Life
- Mont-Saint-Père, Aisne 1844–Paris 1925
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2017.44.8
- Provenance
- [Altman/Burke Fine Art, New York until 1990; to Weisberg]; Yvonne and Gabriel Weisberg, Minneapolis (1990–2017; given to Mia)
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our 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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