Le Paysan qui avait offense son Seigneur, from "Contes et nouvelles en vers par Jean de La Fontaine. A Paris, de l'imprimerie de P. Didot, l'an III de la République, 1795" 1790 - 1800

"Le Paysan qui avait offense son Seigneur" is an etching by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, created between 1790 and 1800. The print, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, depicts a scene from Jean de La Fontaine's "Fables," in which a peasant begs forgiveness from his lord. The scene is set in a classical architectural space with a statue of a woman in the background. The use of linework creates a sense of depth and movement, drawing the viewer's eye to the central figures and their expressions. This print exemplifies Fragonard's masterful use of etching to capture both the emotional intensity and theatrical narrative of the story.