The Poor Fisherman 1770 - 1797

Jeanne Deny created this print, "The Poor Fisherman," using etching in France sometime around the late 18th century. It depicts a humble scene, a man, presumably the titular fisherman, accompanied by livestock in a rugged landscape. The print evokes the romanticization of rural life, a theme common in French art during this period. This idealization often served as a counterpoint to the perceived decadence of urban life and the aristocracy. Notice the fisherman's simple attire and the unadorned natural setting. These visual cues align with the era's growing interest in "natural" virtue. This was further promoted by enlightenment thinkers like Rousseau, who influenced the cultural and political discourse, even as the French Revolution loomed. To fully understand this work, we might research the economic conditions of rural France at the time and the evolving role of landscape in French art. It reflects a society grappling with issues of class, wealth, and the very definition of virtue, a testament to art's capacity to capture and comment on the social currents of its time.