Donkey with her Foal, a Dog, and a Peasant Man 1762 - 1763

Francesco Londonio made this chalk manner print of a Donkey with her Foal, a Dog, and a Peasant Man sometime in the 18th century. The artist, who lived and worked in Italy, specialized in pastoral scenes, often featuring animals like these. Prints like this one were relatively cheap to produce, so they were more accessible to a wider audience. The image reflects the 18th-century fascination with the countryside as an antidote to urban life. But while it looks like a straightforward depiction of rural life, we should ask what work this image is doing. Does it romanticize the labor of the peasant? Does it invite the viewer to contemplate the lives of working animals? To dig deeper, we might compare this print to others from the time and look at Londonio's career in the context of the art market in Italy. Art history reminds us that even seemingly simple images are shaped by cultural and economic forces.