A Group of Peasants Loading Hay onto Boats
1816
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1816
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This etching shows five people working by a riverbank. Two women stand holding large bundles of hay, while a man and another woman load hay onto a small boat. A third woman stands at the water’s edge, holding a pole. The background has trees, a bridge, and distant hills. Notice how the artist used shading to show light and movement—this was a key trick in etchings of the time. Want to see more? Look up etching to learn how artists like this made prints.
