The Grass Cutter 1895

Daniel Ridgway Knight painted "The Grass Cutter" at the turn of the 20th century, although the exact date is unknown. Knight was an American artist who spent much of his career in France, and this painting exemplifies the kind of rural genre scene that found a ready market with American collectors. The painting presents a romanticized view of peasant life, showing a young woman gathering grass in a field of wildflowers. It is very picturesque, and seemingly uncontroversial. However, such images played a significant role in shaping perceptions of French rural life for an international audience. Knight's paintings tapped into a desire for idealized simplicity in an era of rapid industrialization and urbanization. Understanding the social function of such imagery requires that we examine the context in which they were made and consumed, considering the artist's biography, the market for his work, and the prevailing attitudes towards rural life in both France and America.