Country Farmhouse 1728

Editor: Here we have Jean-Baptiste Oudry’s "Country Farmhouse," created in 1728, a pencil drawing. There's something so peaceful about this scene, a humble house nestled in the countryside. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Well, consider the very *stuff* of this drawing. Oudry used pencil, a relatively accessible material, to depict not aristocratic grandeur, but a farmhouse. This wasn't destined for some salon. It reflects a burgeoning interest in depicting the lives and labors of everyday people. It invites us to contemplate how these buildings reflect the land. Editor: So, it's less about the idealization of country life and more about the material conditions of rural existence? Curator: Precisely! The tools and structures, seemingly mundane, speak volumes. How were they made? From what? Who toiled to build this place? These questions draw our attention away from any supposed romanticism and towards the physical reality, the means of production inherent in building a home and farm. Note the simple carpentry of the wagon versus the more specialized stone-worked tower in the background; they both speak of skill and labor but with very different goals. Editor: I see. So the contrast highlights different kinds of labor, and perhaps even different social strata? Curator: Indeed. How does the simplicity of the farmhouse compare with the ornate residences typically represented in Rococo art? It begs the question, whose story gets told through art, and with what materials? Editor: That’s a really interesting point! Looking at the materials, like the pencil itself, and considering the labour, opens up a whole new way to interpret what Oudry is showing us here. Thank you! Curator: Absolutely, and recognizing that link helps us avoid passively accepting romantic notions of the past.