The Early Ploughman 1861

"The Early Ploughman" is an etching by Samuel Palmer, completed in 1861. This romantic and pastoral landscape features a lone ploughman with a pair of oxen working the fields under a dramatic sky. The composition is detailed, showing the lush vegetation of the countryside with a sense of serenity. Palmer's use of light and shadow in this etching, which can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, captures the beauty of the early morning light. The artwork exemplifies the 19th century's interest in rustic scenes and the romanticized vision of nature.