Brooklyn Museum: European Art: Breton Peasant Woman Holding a Taper

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Breton Peasant Woman Holding a Taper

With this intimate image of an elderly woman fingering her rosary beads, Breton conveys the religious devotion associated with Brittany and its people. Placing the figure against a monochromatic background, he carefully renders the starched folds of her high white collar and head covering. As France barreled into the industrial age, Brittany’s steadfast adherence to regional costume and religious tradition remained a lure throughout the nineteenth century for both academic and avantgarde artists.

Artist: Jules Breton, French, 1827-1906
Medium: Oil on canvas
Place Made: France
Dates: ca. 1869
Dimensions: 12 x 9 in. (30.5 x 22.9 cm) Frame: 24 x 20 3/4 x 4 1/4 in.
Signature: Signed lower left: "J. Breton"
Collections: European Art
Museum Location: This item is on view in Beaux-Arts Court, North, 3rd Floor
Accession Number: 21.102
Credit Line: Bequest of William H. Herriman
Image: Overall, 21.102_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph