Ploughman c. 19th century

Editor: So, this is "Ploughman" by James Davis. It’s unsigned and undated, but Davis lived from 1803 to 1828. It feels like a snapshot of rural life, but I'm curious, what historical context do you see here? Curator: Consider the public's evolving view of labor. Images like this naturalize and even romanticize agricultural work, which was a cornerstone of the early 19th-century economy, but also involved significant social hierarchies. Notice how the human figure blends with the landscape. Does that tell us something? Editor: Maybe it suggests harmony, but also obscures the power dynamics inherent in land ownership and labor? I hadn't thought of that. Thanks! Curator: Exactly! The politics of imagery are never simple, and this piece presents a carefully constructed vision of rural life.