Keeper of the Turkeys [Gardeuse de dindons]
![Keeper of the Turkeys [Gardeuse de dindons] by Francesco Paolo Michetti](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/nga/thumb/keeper-of-the-turkeys-gardeuse-de-dindons-nga-160889.webp)
Medium
etching and roulette [proof before letters]
Dimensions
sheet: 49 × 32 cm (19 5/16 × 12 5/8 in.) [irregular] plate: 28.5 × 22.5 cm (11 1/4 × 8 7/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund
Accession Number
2013.30.20
Art Historical Context
**Keeper of the Turkeys (Gardeuse de dindons)**, created by Italian artist Francesco Paolo Michetti 1876, captures the simple grace of rural life in Abruzzo, Michetti's native region. As a proof before letters—an early impression without inscribed text or signatures—this etching showcases a young girl tending turkeys, embodying the artist's fascination with everyday peasant existence. Michetti, a leading figure in late 19th-century Italian, drew inspiration from the unvarnished beauty of the countryside, blending keen observation with poetic tenderness. The work's medium, etching combined wit...