MUNKÁCSY Mihály
(1844–1900)

WOMAN CHURNING BUTTER

1872–1873
Oil on canvas
Museum of Fine Arts – Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
Inv. no. 9639

In this painting, Munkácsy explored a very familiar theme, following Jean-François Millet. With its emblematic compactness, dramatic expression and emotional richness, Woman Churning Butter is linked to the art of the contemporaneous French realists. The composition of a peasant woman weary from the difficulties of life and a small girl looking at her, emerges from the contrast between the light and dark forms – the white patches of the figures and the black background.