Peasants Loading Hay 17th century

"Peasants Loading Hay" is a 17th century drawing by Hendrick Avercamp depicting a scene of rural labor in the Netherlands. The artist is known for his winter landscapes but he also captured scenes of daily life, as he does in this drawing. The small-scale work shows a group of peasants working to load hay onto a cart, with other figures gathering hay in the background. The scene is rendered in a loose, gestural style, with a focus on capturing the activity and movement of the figures. It’s an important piece of Dutch art which can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.