Heimkehr von der Arbeit 1861

Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller created this painting depicting rural life in 19th-century Austria, but what story does this artwork really tell? Waldmüller was interested in the lives of ordinary people. Here, he presents an image of peasants returning home after a day's work. We see this group not as cogs in a machine, but as individuals worthy of respect. In its time, this was a social statement. The painting aestheticizes the landscape, and idealizes the simplicity of country life, thereby tacitly critiquing the growing industrialization of the cities. But we should not take this representation at face value. How does Waldmüller’s position as a member of the Academy of Fine Arts influence his interpretation of rural life? What social commentary is being made by showing the subjects barefoot, or by emphasizing their traditional clothing? To address these questions, we can examine archival material such as Academy records and period social surveys. Through that kind of research, we can begin to understand not just what the artist has shown us, but why.