Head of a Peasant (Tête de paysan)

Art Historical Context

Aimé-Jules Dalou, a leading French sculptor of the late nineteenth century, created this sensitive plaster head as part of his ongoing exploration of rural life. Working during the Third Republic, Dalou often turned his attention to peasants and laborers, treating them with the same dignity usually reserved for historical or allegorical figures. The work, modeled in 1894 and cast in plaster over the following decade, captures the weathered features and quiet strength of an anonymous countryman. Executed in plaster, the medium allowed Dalou to model fine surface textures—creases around the eye...