Chickweed Merchant (Marchand de mouron) 

Alphonse Legros made this etching of a Chickweed Merchant in the late 19th century. The image depicts a poor, rural figure. He’s bent double, carrying a heavy load on his back and holding a few sprigs of chickweed as samples of his wares. It’s a study of labor and poverty in the French countryside. The figure's weariness is etched into every line. Legros made this image during the time of rapid industrialization and urbanization. France was undergoing massive social change, so artists turned to portray rural subjects as an antidote to the ills of modern life. This image can be understood as a subtle commentary on the plight of the working class. To delve more into this topic, explore archives that document the rural economy of 19th-century France. Consider the art market of the time and how images of rural life were consumed by urban audiences. Art exists in a broader social and institutional context that shapes its production and reception.