Title of Artwork: “Girl selling hay in San Germano”
Artwork by Ernest Hébert
Year Created 1853 – 1857
Original Title: Les fienaroles de San Germano
Summary of Girl selling hay in San Germano
Ernest Hébert arrived to Italy in 1839 after winning the first Grand Prix de Rome for painting and became immediately enamoured with the country he discovered. La mal’aria, a picture depicting Pontine marsh dwellers, brought him his first major success at the Salon in 1850-1851 after his return in late 1847. Arrived in San Germano, in the north of Italy, on the morning of October 28, 1853 during his second trip there.
All About Girl selling hay in San Germano
From his window, he observed the spectacle of young girls selling hay, or les fienaroles, and decided to stay and set up a table for the evening’s festivities. Once he found models, he set up shop in his room and worked there until January 7, 1854.
Salon of 1857 in Paris sees the completion of the piece and its public unveiling. Rather than painting historical topics, Hébert chooses to depict everyday life in the Italian countryside.
His ideal match is a young woman with deep, sultry eyes. Although it is tinged with sentiment, this method has some parallels to realism. A letter from San Germano to landscape architect Jules Dupré describes Hébert’s shift of perspective: “I’d like to discuss the circumstances surrounding my decision to paint in an Apennine inn.
As a result, I’ve made a pact with myself to only paint what truly moves me. In my opinion, it is the only way to maintain one’s status as a true artist and to pursue originality.
Information Citations
En.wikipedia.org, https://en.wikipedia.org/.
