The artwork titled “Loaded Haycart” is an oil on canvas painting created by the artist Gustave Caillebotte during the approximate period between 1874 and 1878. It exemplifies the Impressionism art movement. The dimensions of this piece are 36 x 47 cm. Classified as a genre painting, it is a work that depicts a scene of everyday life and it currently resides in a private collection.
The painting portrays a rustic scene with a central focus on a haycart heavily loaded with hay. The cart sits stationary in front of a building, possibly a barn or a rural homestead, with its large wheels and structure detailed enough to suggest sturdy use in agricultural life. The background features a section of the building with a pitched roof, under which the haycart is parked. A few chimneys rise against a softly painted sky, suggesting other buildings nearby or a farmhouse.
Strategically placed in the foreground and around the cart are chickens, which enliven the scene with a touch of agrarian charm. These fowl are likely foraging near the haycart, picking at the ground in search of feed. The artist’s use of light and shadow, along with his loose brushwork, is indicative of the Impressionist style, which sought to capture the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere rather than the fine detail of academic painting. Caillebotte’s work here is a fine example of the movement’s interest in contemporary life and the natural world, as observed through the lens of modernity during the late 19th century.
