The Churner (La Baratteuse)

About this work

This etching shows a woman in a simple dress, bending over a wooden churn. She’s twisting the handle of a large barrel, her posture tense with effort. A cat sits nearby, watching her, while a basket and a pitcher rest on the ground. The artist used fine lines to show the texture of her apron and the rough wood. The background is dark, making her the focus—just her and the tools of her work. Want to know more? Try looking up etching to see how artists carve images into metal plates.