A strong presence emerges from this picture of a woman with crossed arms and a determined expression. Her luminous face, heightened by her bright red shawl and white hair band, stands out against a dark and neutral background. The coarse material of her dress, her apron, her ruddy complexion and her hairstyle show her to be a woman of the people with a natural beauty.
According to the art historian Henri Focillon, the power of this painting makes it “the portrait of a social class, of a time, with their somber virtues.” By painting this unknown woman, the artist, likewise unknown, emphasized her value and reminds the viewer of the important part played by women in the events of the French Revolution.
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