De korenplukster
Jules Breton’s 'La Glaneuse' captures a moment of quiet defiance in a sun-drenched wheat field. While other women in the background bend over to gather leftover grain—a backbreaking task reserved for the poorest peasants—the central figure stands tall, pausing to rest her hand on her chin. Painted in 1854, this masterpiece of Realism elevates rural labor to the level of classical heroism, showing a young woman with the dignified posture of a Greek statue. Breton famously idealized the French countryside, and this glowing tribute to peasant life helped launch his career as one of the most celebrated painters of rural France.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
Location: Musée d'Orsay, Paris