Artwork
Girls at a Well
Girls at a Well is an oil painting by the Realist artist Jules Cornilliet. It dates from 1867 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Jules Cornilliet’s oil painting Girls at a Well was completed in 1867 and is part of the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The work depicts a small group of young women gathered around a rural well, rendered in a calm, naturalistic manner.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows five girls in modest, long dresses and head coverings, engaged in the everyday task of drawing water. Their varied postures, one leaning against the stone, another seated, the rest standing or bending, convey a sense of communal activity and quiet intimacy within a simple landscape.
Technique & Style
Cornilliet employs oil paint to achieve a warm, earthy palette. Muted browns and greys define the well and surrounding stones, while the girls’ garments appear in soft blues and reds that subtly enliven the scene. The lighting is gentle, giving the figures a delicate illumination that suggests natural daylight.
History & Provenance
Since its creation in the late nineteenth century, the painting has remained in public ownership, eventually entering the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings. The work has been catalogued as an example of Cornilliet’s genre scenes that focus on rural life and domestic labor.
Artist & collection
