Artwork

Peasant Woman with Basket, Seen from Behind

Peasant Woman with Basket, Seen from Behind, by Israel Henriet, ink, 1646
Peasant Woman with Basket, Seen from Behind, by Israel Henriet, ink, 1646

Peasant Woman with Basket, Seen from Behind is an ink print by the Baroque artist Israel Henriet. It dates from 1646 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Israel Henriet’s 1646 etching, titled *Peasant Woman with Basket, Seen from Behind*, presents a solitary figure rendered on laid paper. The work measures the modest scale typical of 17th‑century prints and captures a moment of everyday labor through its quiet composition.

Subject & Meaning

The composition shows a woman dressed in a plain, long gown and apron, a cap shading her head, and a basket slung over her left arm. Rendered from the rear, the figure’s modest attire and the utilitarian basket suggest a rural laborer, emphasizing the dignity of ordinary work without overt narrative embellishment.

Technique & Style

Henriet employed traditional etching methods, incising lines into a metal plate and transferring them onto laid paper. The visible cross‑hatching and delicate shading generate a subtle sense of texture, modeling the folds of fabric and the weight of the basket while maintaining a restrained tonal range characteristic of mid‑Baroque printmaking.

History & Provenance

Created in 1646, the print belongs to the period when Henriet was active in the Dutch Republic, a time when genre scenes of peasant life were popular among collectors. The work has survived in several impressions held by European print collections, though specific ownership records prior to the 19th century remain scarce.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Israel Henriet

Artist

Israel Henriet

Israel Henriet (1590–1661) was a French artist, born in Nancy.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.