Beach of Villerville c. 1855

Curator: Before us is Charles François Daubigny’s print, "Beach of Villerville," held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It has a melancholy feel, doesn’t it? The starkness, the sparse composition... the sheer labor suggested by the figures. Curator: Daubigny was a keen observer of the French landscape and working class, very much a sign of the times. He captured the rhythms of rural life, the everyday struggles. Editor: And how that struggle is deeply intertwined with the land itself. The beach isn't just a backdrop; it's the source of their livelihoods, a site of constant negotiation. I wonder about its impact on labor rights. Curator: Absolutely, these images helped to shape the public's perception of rural life and the role it played in France's sense of self. Editor: It's a reminder that even seemingly simple scenes are packed with social meaning. Curator: A beautiful, yet sobering slice of life rendered with such sensitivity. Editor: Indeed, an era etched in ink.