Artwork
La jolie fermiere
La jolie fermiere is an ink print by the Baroque artist Joseph de Longueil. It dates from 1761 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
La jolie fermiere is a print created in 1761 by the French engraver Joseph de Longueil. Executed as an etching and engraving on paper, the work depicts an interior scene populated by five figures dressed in period costume. The composition is framed by decorative wall hangings, a mantelpiece, and a clock, offering a glimpse into an eighteenth‑century domestic setting.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a modestly dressed woman standing beside a basket, approached by a gentleman in a long coat. A second man holds a dog, while another woman sits on the floor with a cat. The arrangement of figures and animals suggests a quiet, everyday moment, emphasizing themes of domesticity and social interaction within a refined interior.
Technique & Style
Longueil employed fine line work characteristic of etching and engraving to model light and shadow across the scene. The delicate hatching creates texture on fabrics, furnishings, and animal fur, while the overall composition reflects the Baroque taste for intricate detail and dynamic arrangement, despite a relatively restrained tonal palette.
History & Provenance
The print was produced in Paris during the mid‑eighteenth century, a period when French printmakers frequently reproduced genre scenes for a growing market of collectors. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work has appeared in several catalogues of Longueil’s oeuvre and is held in a number of European museum collections.
Artist & collection
