Burning Grass (Le bruleur d'herbes) 

Alphonse Legros, a French-born artist working in 19th-century Britain, etched "Burning Grass." During the Industrial Revolution, rapid urbanization led artists like Legros to explore rural life, often with a sense of nostalgia or social commentary. This etching captures a man laboring in the fields, a scene that evokes the changing social landscape. Legros's focus on the working class reflects the broader artistic movement of Realism. The man's stooped posture and weathered appearance speak to the physical demands of agricultural work. It’s a simple image, yet Legros’s artistic choice can be viewed through the lens of class and labor. It presents a narrative, albeit understated, about the lives of rural workers. The print invites us to reflect on the value of labor, the dignity of the working class, and the social transformations that shaped both the art and the society of Legros's time.