Gardener's Cottage at Mme Balsan's House 

Winston Churchill created this painting of the Gardener’s Cottage at Mme Balsan’s House using oil paints. Churchill’s painterly technique focuses on capturing the essence of light and form in the architecture, conjuring the rural setting through the textured surface of the canvas. We can see how the paint has been layered to build up volume, especially in the rendering of the stone wall and the sun-drenched facade of the cottage. The brushstrokes are visible, giving a sense of immediacy and directness to the work. The very act of painting *en plein air*, as it is known, is about being receptive to the environment. This approach aligns with the broader tradition of landscape painting, with its emphasis on the artist's direct engagement with nature. Yet, Churchill came from a different world. He understood the implications of labor and class on society, and brings a keen eye to the depiction of this idyllic scene. Ultimately, understanding the context in which Churchill was operating allows us to appreciate how these social dynamics have shaped both the subject matter and the method of production of the work.