Peasant with Water Jug: Study for "The Well"

Daniel Ridgway Knight created this meticulously executed drawing to establish a peasant girl’s pose and details of costume for his painting The Well (see illustration). The curving sway of her body as she holds a jug behind her back conveys an attitude of coy shyness.

Knight’s fine draftsmanship was the result of rigorous academic training that also emphasized the crucial function of preparatory studies in the creative process. For his highly successful, picturesque images of peasants, he hired models to pose for him wearing rustic attire that he provided.