Portrait of an Italian peasant woman 

Gerolamo Induno painted this portrait of an Italian peasant woman using oil on canvas. The very materiality of oil paint is important here. Its capacity for smooth, almost photographic realism was highly valued at the time. But look closer, and you will notice how Induno hasn’t smoothed everything out. The texture of the stone where she sits is evoked with gestural brushstrokes. The young woman’s clothing is also rendered with close attention to the details of its making: the lace edging of her sleeve, the woven texture of her sandals, and the embroidery on her bodice. Induno was known for painting scenes of everyday life. While he had sympathy for the working classes, he also participated in the art market, where such images found a ready audience among wealthier patrons. In a way, this painting embodies a tension: the skilled labor of the woman portrayed, rendered through the skilled labor of the artist. By observing the materials and methods, we can consider this artwork not only as an aesthetic object, but as a social document.