Design for Painted Wall Decoration for a Bakery 1850 - 1900

This watercolor design for a bakery wall decoration was made by Jules-Edmond-Charles Lachaise, who was born in France in 1897. During this period in France, there was a fascination with representations of the pastoral and the agrarian, often idealized. Here we see this in the form of wheat and figures that appear to be laborers of the land. It seems to participate in a larger cultural narrative which is the idealization of labor, presenting it as an integral and dignified part of society. The central female figure is adorned with wheat. Her serene expression may reflect a sense of abundance and prosperity which is related to the work of the laborers that flank her. The design reflects a longing for an idealized rural life, imbued with themes of nourishment and community, inviting us to consider the complex relationship between labor, identity, and societal values.