La Sortie de Cave 1868

François Bonvin's *La Sortie de Cave* (1868) depicts a woman, likely a maid, standing in a shadowy interior, holding a bucket. The woman's white apron and head covering are brightly lit against the otherwise dim space, creating a stark contrast that highlights her presence. This lithograph, executed with meticulous detail, exemplifies Bonvin's mastery of depicting everyday life and the ordinary people who occupied it. The work's intimate scale and focus on domesticity resonate with a sense of realism that was characteristic of mid-19th-century French art.