This painting depicts a green field of cotton plants with white blossoms. Three individuals are seen harvesting the cotton. They appear to be wearing skirts and bonnets and have dark skin, although their faces aren’t detailed. The background includes buildings on the left and green trees against a pale blue sky with hints of grey. The painting utilizes loose, visible brushstrokes. The color scheme is warm and natural, featuring shades of green, brown, and muted tones.
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Picking Cotton

painter William Gilbert Gaul (American, 1855 - 1919)

c. 1890

Medium
oil on academy board
Classification
Painting
Dimensions
overall: 33.66 × 46.36 cm (13 1/4 × 18 1/4 in.) ; framed: 40.64 × 50.8 × 5.08 cm (16 × 20 × 2 in.)
Culture
American
Museum
National Gallery of Art, CAB
Credit line
Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase through a gift of Josephine Boardman Crane, 1957)
Rights
Public domain (NGA Open Access, CC0), as the museum states it.
Who can see it
Tweens profiles and older: its subjects are known and suit older children. How works are placed

View at the National Gallery of Art

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