The artwork “The Tedders” is a charcoal on paper drawing created by the artist Camille Pissarro around 1880 to 1881. This work is a representation of the Impressionism movement, notable for its portrayal of contemporary life and its emphasis on capturing the effects of light. The artwork’s genre is classified as genre painting, highlighting scenes of everyday life. Its dimensions measure approximately 60 x 46 cm.
In “The Tedders,” Pissarro offers a glimpse into rural life with a focus on agricultural labor. The scene captures two figures, presumably farmers, engaged in the activity of tedding, which involves spreading out cut hay to dry before it is gathered into piles or bales. The figure in the foreground is turned away from the viewer, depicted in mid-motion with a tool in hand, while the other figure faces the viewer, holding what appears to be the handle of a rake or similar implement. Behind them unfolds a pastoral landscape, conveying the simplicity and timelessness of the farming traditions. There is a sense of movement and immediacy within the sketch, as well as an emphasis on the dignity of manual work, which are themes common to many of Pissarro’s works within the Impressionist genre.
