La ratisseuse

Bernard Lépicié after Jean Siméon Chardin

National Gallery of Art

This print shows a seated woman in profile, facing the right. She has light skin, a straight nose, and small lips set in a faint smile. Her hair is tucked up into a white cap on her head, and she is dressed in a long-sleeved gown with a white apron. She is sitting on a wooden chair and appears to be peeling vegetables with a thin knife. She holds a root vegetable in her lap, and more vegetables and loose peels are scattered on the floor. A bowl on the ground in front of her is filled with pale chunks floating in water. Beside her on the left is a wooden chopping block with a cleaver on it, as well as a large pot and a pan with a long handle. The floor under her is light gray, while the wall behind her is dark gray. The background of the print is off-white paper, and there are some lines of text under the print.