The Peasant (1920)
Technique: Giclée quality print
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More about this artwork
Description: "The Peasant" is an evocative woodcut created by Belgian artist Gustave De Smet in 1920, capturing the raw essence and emotional depth of rural life post-World War I. The artwork features a strong, bent figure of a peasant at work, deeply engrossed in plowing the field. The bold use of black and white contrasts sharply, highlighting the physical strain and the rugged textures of both the peasant's attire and the surrounding vegetation.De Smet’s style is noticeably expressionistic, focusing on heavy, angular lines that carve out the figure and the environment, creating a dynamic interplay between human endurance and the harshness of manual labor. The background, though minimal, features a radiant depiction of the sun, possibly symbolizing hope or the relentless passage of time.This poignant piece not only reflects De Smet’s skill with the woodcut medium but also serves as a tribute to the resilience of the agricultural community in early 20th-century Europe.