Zwei Bäuerinnen mit ihren Kindern unter Bäumen sitzend 

Zélie Vachon sketched “Two Peasant Women with their Children Sitting Under Trees” with pen and brown ink, heightened with white body color, over traces of graphite on brownish laid paper. Vachon’s choice of materials is telling. Pen and ink, while refined, were also accessible, aligning with her subject matter: everyday rural life. The laid paper, with its visible texture, adds a tactile quality, grounding the scene in the physical world. The limited color palette—brown ink and white highlights—focuses attention on the drawing’s lines and forms, emphasizing the figures' simple garments and the rough texture of the trees. The way the artist rendered the scene also suggests a connection to the working class, focusing on a moment of respite. Vachon’s drawing elevates the dignity of labor and the importance of family, challenging the traditional hierarchy that often valued grand historical paintings over scenes of ordinary life. Ultimately, by carefully considering the materials, processes, and social context, we gain a richer understanding of the artwork's meaning and significance, blurring the lines between fine art and craft.