Peasant at the Source 

Alphonse Legros made this drawing, Peasant at the Source, using pen and brown ink. In 19th-century France, the figure of the peasant was often romanticized, seen as connected to the land and embodying traditional values. Legros, however, often depicted peasants with a certain weight and solemnity. In this drawing, we see a woman sitting by a waterfall, her gaze directed downwards, evoking a sense of introspection. Legros was deeply influenced by the social realities of his time. Themes of rural life and labor often appeared in his work. There’s a quiet dignity here, but also perhaps a hint of the hardships faced by women in rural communities. She is at the source, a place of origin, but her posture suggests a weariness, hinting at the burdens she carries. The drawing invites us to reflect on the complex realities of rural life and the often-unacknowledged strength of the women who sustained it. It resonates with a sense of human connection to the natural world and the enduring spirit of those who live close to it.