Corn Husking 1860 - 1864

David Gilmour Blythe made this oil on canvas painting titled, "Corn Husking". Although undated, Blythe made it during a time of immense social change in the United States. Against a backdrop of swirling clouds and moonlight, figures gather to husk corn. There’s a sense of community, but also of labor. In the mid-19th century, the romanticism of rural life often clashed with the harsh realities of agricultural work. These were realities shaped by race, class, and gender. Who does this labor? What are their stories? Are they free, enslaved, or indentured? Corn was also a contentious topic during this period; it was the primary crop grown and harvested by enslaved peoples. Blythe does not overtly represent these tensions, but instead captures the emotional and physical dimensions of a community bound by the necessities of survival. This painting invites us to consider the complex layers of American identity, history, and the intersectional nature of labor and life.