A Milkmaid Climbing a Stile c. 1750

"A Milkmaid Climbing a Stile" is a c. 1750 charcoal drawing by Thomas Gainsborough, a celebrated English portrait and landscape painter. This work depicts a young milkmaid, dressed in a simple but elegant dress, as she climbs a stile, a type of fence commonly found in rural England. The drawing's loose and gestural style captures the natural ease of the milkmaid's movement, showcasing Gainsborough's skill at capturing the essence of his subjects. The drawing's focus on rural life and the simple beauty of a working-class woman, highlights Gainsborough's fascination with the natural world and the people who inhabited it.