Peasant Defecating
1621
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1621
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Peasant Defecating is a 1621 ink by Edouard Eckman, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This print shows a lone figure squatting in an open field, doing what looks like a very private act. The person is surrounded by simple trees and bushes, with a small hill and a fence in the distance. The style is rough, with bold lines and no shading—just black and white. The title calls it an "allegory," meaning it’s probably making a point, not just showing a scene. The artist used a woodcut technique, which means the image was carved into wood and then printed. Look up woodcut to see how this printing method works.
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