Artwork
Feeding the Turkey
Feeding the Turkey is a pastel drawing by the Impressionist artist Eastman Johnson. It dates from 1876 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 46.47
- Credit line
- Anonymous Gift, in memory of William Brown Cogswell, 1946
About this work
Overview
Eastman Johnson’s Feeding the Turkey (c. 1876) presents a quiet moment of agrarian labor. Rendered in pastel on wove paper that has been affixed to canvas, the composition centers on a woman in a long dress scattering grain for a group of turkeys gathered at her feet, while dappled light filters through surrounding trees.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures a routine activity of 19th‑century rural America, emphasizing the intimate relationship between people and domesticated animals. By focusing on a solitary figure engaged in a modest chore, Johnson highlights the dignity of everyday labor and the calm rhythm of farm life, inviting viewers to consider the quiet perseverance of such tasks.
Technique & Style
Johnson employs pastel sticks to achieve delicate gradations of color and texture, rendering the softness of feathered plumage and the folds of the woman’s dress. The handling of light and shadow recalls the tonal subtlety of 17th‑century Dutch genre painters, while the medium’s dry, chalky quality lends the scene a gentle, atmospheric quality.
History & Provenance
Created toward the end of Johnson’s career, the piece reflects his shift toward more intimate, domestic subjects. The work entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s American Wing collection, where it remains displayed as part of the museum’s effort to document the evolution of American genre painting in the post‑Civil War era.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jonathan Eastman Johnson (July 29, 1824 – April 5, 1906) was an American painter and co-founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, with his name inscribed at its entrance.
