Who painted Peasant at the Source?

Peasant at the Source was painted by Alphonse Legros in 1874.

Where can I see Peasant at the Source?

Peasant at the Source is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Peasant at the Source?

Peasant at the Source is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Peasant at the Source

Alphonse Legros , 1874

Peasant at the Source is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Alphonse Legros. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1874, *Peasant at the Source* is a drawing executed with pen and brown ink, accented by graphite marks, on laid paper. The work presents a solitary rural figure by a waterway, rendered with careful line work and tonal shading that convey both the figure’s posture and the surrounding landscape.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a peasant woman kneeling at the water’s edge, her hair cascading down her back and her hands joined in quiet prayer. Her simple robe and downward gaze suggest a moment of contemplation, linking daily labor with a spiritual connection to the natural world.

Technique & Style

Legros combines fine pen lines with broader ink washes, allowing the graphite underdrawing to emerge subtly in the shadows. The delicate folds of the robe contrast with the more vigorous, textured strokes that suggest distant hills and trees, creating a layered sense of depth without resorting to heavy modeling.

History & Provenance

Alphonse Legros, born in France and naturalized as a British citizen after settling in London in 1863, produced this drawing during a prolific period when he was teaching and promoting etching in Britain. The piece reflects his broader interest in figurative and genre subjects, though its specific ownership trail remains undocumented.

Context

The drawing aligns with mid‑nineteenth‑century Romantic interests in rural life and the dignity of labor, echoing contemporary concerns about the relationship between humanity and nature. Legros’s choice of modest materials and intimate scale underscores the personal, almost meditative tone typical of the period’s genre scenes.