Une Carrière à plâtre près de Lagny (département de Seine-et-Marne); from Magasin Pittoresque 1848 - 1864

Charles Jacque's "Une Carrière à plâtre près de Lagny" (1848-1864) is a striking black and white illustration depicting a plaster quarry near Lagny, France. The artwork, housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, captures the arduous task of transporting plaster, showcasing a man pushing a wheelbarrow along a precarious path. The scene is bathed in an atmospheric twilight, highlighting the figures and the rugged terrain. The artwork exemplifies Jacque's talent for capturing the realities of rural life and the grit of manual labor.