Corn-Field 1885

Leon Wyczółkowski’s “Corn-Field” is an oil painting. It’s tempting to see it as just a pretty picture, but let’s think about what paint really is: colored pigment mixed with binder, typically linseed oil. Wyczółkowski applies the oil paint directly to the canvas, using short brushstrokes to capture the texture and light of the cornfield. Oil paint allowed artists to build up layers of color and achieve subtle gradations of tone, and Wyczółkowski took full advantage of these qualities. The materiality of oil allows a painter to rework and revise until the image is just right. And the subject here – labor in an agricultural setting – is brought into dialogue with the labor of painting. Wyczółkowski’s painting process involves countless hours of labor. By attending to these details, we gain a deeper understanding of the historical, cultural, and social significance embedded within it. We can appreciate the labor and skill involved, while recognizing the artistic choices that elevate it beyond mere representation.