Peasant Figures
Medium
Drawing
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Martha F. Butler
Accession Number
1991.56.194
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Peasant Figures** (1862) is a delicate drawing by American artist Miner Kilbourne Kellogg capturing everyday life in the French coastal town of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme. Created during Kellogg's travels in Europe amid the American Civil War, this work reflects the 19th-century fascination with peasantry, a theme popularized by Realist artists like Jean-François Millet. Kellogg, trained in portraiture and known for his luminous landscapes and genre scenes, sketched these humble figures—likely including women in traditional attire—highlighting their quiet dignity against the backdrop of northern...