Church in the Village in Labastide du Vert 

Henri Martin’s impressionist painting, *Church in the Village in Labastide du Vert,* captures the idyllic and timeless quality of rural French life. Born in Toulouse, Martin embraced the ideals of the French Republic, focusing on the lives of ordinary people in harmony with nature. It is difficult to consider this landscape painting without thinking about gender and labor. The painting depicts a traditional village, with the church at its center. But it is the vibrant patchwork of fields that suggests the lives of peasant women, who would have worked the land to feed their families and support their communities. The painting asks us to consider how the labor of women shapes our understanding of place and belonging. Martin’s painting celebrates the beauty and simplicity of rural life. He reminds us of the importance of community, tradition, and the deep connection between people and the land. It is an invitation to slow down and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us, as well as an homage to the past.