The Milkmaid of Boulogne 

Alphonse Legros made this drawing titled 'The Milkmaid of Boulogne' using graphite on paper. In it, we see a woman and a donkey. Her dress and head covering suggest the peasant class, and the milk canisters strapped to the donkey, along with the basket on her arm, tell us about her work. Legros was a French artist who lived in a time of great social change. Rural people were migrating to cities, and new industries were emerging. So, what is the public role of such an image? Legros made many etchings and drawings of working-class people. He lived in England for many years and taught at the Slade School of Art. There, he emphasized the importance of careful drawing and observation. Looking at his images of ordinary people, we might ask: What are the politics of such imagery? To understand Legros’s art better, we can research the art institutions of his time and consider the social conditions that shaped his artistic production. By understanding the historical context, we can appreciate how art reflects and comments on society.