Gatherer of Chips 1856

Thomas Sully created "Gatherer of Chips," a painting that invites us to reflect on the intersections of labor, gender, and representation in the 19th century. The young woman depicted embodies both innocence and resilience. With her ruddy cheeks, she is a picture of health, yet her work as a gatherer of chips speaks to the realities faced by many young women of the time, who often had to contribute to the family income through manual labor. The red hood suggests an allegorical or theatrical character, a common trope in art history. Sully, as a portrait painter of the elite, here turns his attention to a subject of lower social standing. But he still romanticizes her condition, transforming labor into a picturesque scene. The artist prompts us to consider the complex ways in which identity, class, and gender converge in the creation and reception of art.