Who painted Peasant Woman, in Profile, Facing Right, with Arm Extended?

Peasant Woman, in Profile, Facing Right, with Arm Extended was painted by Jacques Callot in 1622.

Where can I see Peasant Woman, in Profile, Facing Right, with Arm Extended?

Peasant Woman, in Profile, Facing Right, with Arm Extended is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Peasant Woman, in Profile, Facing Right, with Arm Extended?

Peasant Woman, in Profile, Facing Right, with Arm Extended is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Peasant Woman, in Profile, Facing Right, with Arm Extended

Jacques Callot , 1622

Peasant Woman, in Profile, Facing Right, with Arm Extended 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

Created in 1622 by the French baroque printmaker Jacques Callot, this work is an etching executed on laid paper. Measuring a modest size, it presents a quiet rural scene rendered with the fine linear quality characteristic of Callot’s extensive print output, which exceeds a thousand images documenting everyday life in early‑17th‑century Lorraine.

Subject & Meaning

The composition features two peasant women standing in an open field; one is shown in profile, her arm outstretched toward the right, while the other faces left with a similar gesture. Their loose garments and the presence of grazing sheep and a distant waterway suggest a moment of ordinary labor or communal activity, emphasizing the dignity of ordinary folk.

Technique & Style

Callot employed delicate, controlled lines to model the figures, creating subtle gradations of shadow that give a sense of volume. The etched lines interact with the texture of the laid paper, allowing the paper’s ribbed surface to emerge through the image and enhance the tactile quality of the scene. This precision reflects Callot’s mastery of the etching medium.

History & Provenance

The print was produced in Callot’s workshop in Lorraine during a prolific period when he was documenting the social spectrum of his time. It later entered various European collections, appearing in 19th‑century catalogues of his work, and is now held by a major museum dedicated to graphic arts.