Two Female Field Workers

From Arthur James Galleries. Used with permission.

Two Female Field Workers
Circa 1890
Oil on canvas
28 x 18 in.
Whereabouts unknown

Buongiorno’s painting is a copy of Harvesters by French Realist Jules-Adolphe Breton (1827–1906), shown below. Breton, who documented workers of his native Pas-de-Calais region of France, probably painted his canvas between 1850 and 1880.

I don’t know the exhibition history of Breton’s painting, but Buongiorno may have seen it on display somewhere in Europe. Or, he may have worked from a postcard or print when making his copy. It may have been a student exercise as part of his training. If there is anyone out there who is familiar with the course of study at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Napoli (Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Napoli) in the late 1800s who can enlighten me on this possibility, I would love to hear from you.

Harvesters
Jules-Adolphe Breton
Circa 1850–1880
Oil on canvas
Private collection