Who painted Peasant with a Cup?

Peasant with a Cup was painted by Jacques Callot in 1622.

Where can I see Peasant with a Cup?

Peasant with a Cup is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Peasant with a Cup?

Peasant with a Cup is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Peasant with a Cup

Jacques Callot , 1622

Peasant with a Cup is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jacques Callot. It dates from 1622 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

One figure clutches a cup in his left hand and a long tool in his right, while the companion holds a smaller hat and a comparable implement.

Created circa 1622 by the French baroque printmaker Jacques Callot, *Peasant with a Cup* is an etching executed on laid paper. The composition presents two rural figures standing side by side, turned away from the viewer, each dressed in simple, wide‑brimmed hats, loose shirts and striped breeches. One figure clutches a cup in his left hand and a long tool in his right, while the companion holds a smaller hat and a comparable implement.

Subject & Meaning

The work continues Callot’s systematic interest in the lower strata of early‑17th‑century society, portraying peasants as part of a broader visual record of everyday life. By focusing on ordinary laborers rather than aristocratic or religious subjects, the image underscores the artist’s intent to document the lived realities of marginalised individuals within the social fabric of his time.

Technique & Style

Callot employed a rapid, sketch‑like line that gives the figures a sense of immediacy and movement. The etching’s surface retains the texture of hand‑made laid paper, enhancing its tactile quality. The lines are deliberately rough, a hallmark of Callot’s approach that balances detailed rendering of clothing and tools with a lively, almost spontaneous execution.

History & Provenance

Part of Callot’s prolific output—over fourteen hundred known etchings—*Peasant with a Cup* reflects his early career in the Duchy of Lorraine before his later work in Paris. While specific ownership records are scarce, the print has been catalogued among his series that depict peasants, beggars, and other figures of the common folk, illustrating his enduring reputation as a chronicler of social types.