Artwork
A Peasant Family and Two Donkeys
A Peasant Family and Two Donkeys is a graphite drawing by the Romanticist artist Bartolomeo Pinelli. It dates from 1808 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
A Peasant Family and Two Donkeys is a watercolor drawing executed over graphite on wove paper, created by Italian artist Bartolomeo Pinelli in 1808.
Subject & Meaning
The subject of the drawing depicts a rustic scene featuring a peasant family accompanied by two donkeys, likely conveying a sense of everyday rural life during the early 19th century.
Technique & Style
Technically, the work combines watercolor with underlying graphite sketches, characteristic of Pinelli's approach to drawing. The style is reminiscent of the Romantic era's emphasis on the common man and naturalistic settings.
History & Provenance
Created in 1808, the drawing's provenance history is not detailed here, though its existence attests to Pinelli's productivity during this period.
Context
Produced during the Napoleonic Wars, the drawing may reflect a broader European interest in folk life and the humble aspects of society amidst turmoil.
Legacy
As a representative of early 19th-century Italian watercolor, A Peasant Family and Two Donkeys contributes to the historical record of Romantic-era artistic themes and techniques.
Artist & collection
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Cavalcature che conducono le bestie bovine in Roma, per macellare (Cattle Driven to the Slaughter in Rome) (Plate 16)
La Befana
