Who painted Two Peasant Girls?

Two Peasant Girls was painted by Paula Modersohn-Becker in 1900.

Where can I see Two Peasant Girls?

Two Peasant Girls is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Two Peasant Girls?

Two Peasant Girls is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of Two Peasant Girls?

Museum-quality prints of Two Peasant Girls are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Two Peasant Girls

Paula Modersohn-Becker , 1900

Two Peasant Girls is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Paula Modersohn-Becker. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:below image, in graphite: I. P. Modersohn-Becker / O. Modersohn; on versom in graphite, by various later hands: Nr 1081; 22.50; 6

About this work

Overview

Created around 1900, Two Peasant Girls is a print by German artist Paula Modersohn‑Becker. Executed with a combination of etching, dry‑point and roulette on a sheet of heavy wove paper, the work belongs to the early phase of her career, when she was exploring printmaking alongside her prolific output in painting and drawing.

Subject & Meaning

The image presents two young women seated amid tall grass, their simple, worn clothing marked by a ruffled collar on one figure. The figures are rendered without individualized facial detail, emphasizing their status as generic rural types rather than specific portraits, reflecting Modersohn‑Becker’s interest in everyday, agrarian life.

Technique & Style

Modersohn‑Becker employed the contrasting qualities of etching’s fine lines and dry‑point’s burr‑rich, velvety strokes, while roulette was used to create tonal textures in the foliage and ground. The resulting surface combines crisp outlines with softer, sketch‑like shading, a visual language typical of early twentieth‑century German printmaking.

History & Provenance

The print was produced during Modersohn‑Becker’s formative years in the artists’ colony at Worpswede, where she engaged with fellow painters and experimented with new media. It entered private collections shortly after its creation and has since been documented in several catalogues of her graphic work, confirming its authenticity and place within her limited print output.