European school; end of the 19th century.

European school; late nineteenth century.
"Fishwife".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Presents faults in the frame.
It has apocryphal signature in the lower left corner.
Measurements: 82 x 48 cm; 112 x 80 cm (frame).
At the end of the 19th century, the representation of working women, as in the case of a fishwife, acquired a new prominence in art, reflecting the social changes and the growing interest in everyday and popular themes. This type of realistic painting not only documented the life of the working classes, but also dignified their work, giving them visibility and humanity in a context still dominated by gender stereotypes.
The figure of the fishwife becomes a symbol of growing female autonomy in a society in transformation. Through a sober palette and a composition centered on the figure, the artist not only idealizes the work, but also gives dignity to the woman who performs it, vindicating her role within the economic and social fabric of the time.