Old Woman with Child and Geese

Willard Leroy Metcalf sailed for Europe in September of 1883, spending much of his time in France. The present work likely depicts a charming village scene in Grèz-sur-Loing, where the artist first visited in 1884, or Pont Aven, a burgeoning artist colony. According to William H. Gerdts, the present work stems from the tradition of "Jules Bastien LePage, which would account for the detailed but still vital brushwork, the emphasis upon the earth colors, and the low horizon beneath which the figures are submerged—making them more part of the earth...The artist is also emphasizing the contrast of youth and age, and therefore, in this context, also the endlessness of the peasant tradition, as the young girl will eventually 'be' the old woman." (unpublished letter, 1985)