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| Painting Name | A Winter's Day |
| Painter Name | Leon Joseph Voirin |
| Completion Date | 1884 |
| Size | 102.9 x 73 cm (3' 4.51" x 28.74") |
| Technique | Oil |
| Material | Canvas |
| Current Location | Public collection |
This oil-on-canvas depiction from 1884 by a French Artist Leon Joseph Voirin represents a winter’s day of France. The calm and sunless day has encouraged the people to come out to enjoy the fresh environment. The streets created on the snow by pedestrians suggest that the snow-fall is not recent. It is about the time of twilight as the chimneys are extruding the smokes of the evening cuisine.
By looking at the many people and soldiers with guns and drums, we can understand that it is not a regular day in the city. A ceremony is about to begin as some soldiers are rehearsing according to the instructions of their leader and some of them are just resting or chatting around.
The common people in the image are enjoying the environment with their acquaintances. There is a family in the middle. A mother in green dress is walking by with her three children and a boy who is more like their servant holding two baskets. Everyone’s distracted in different activities.
The boy looks very interested in the soldier rehearsing and has stopped to watch them. A little girl in blue dress with a little umbrella is instructing her dog. The mother is determined to reach her destination and pulling her little boy with her, who is also very curious about the rehearsing soldiers with their heavy guns. The eldest girl of the family is walking ahead but stopped to look back if the same soldiers. Though, we can’t find much curiosity on her face. Maybe she just wanted to check if her family was coming along.
Apart from the concentrated family, other people from the town have also gathered around the troop and out of curiosity beholding the procedure. One onlooker right behind the woman is smoking a pipe as it helps to give warmth in winter. In background, a horse-wagon passing by indicates the time of the scene from early 19th century.
The portrayal gives a glimpse of lively surroundings of the day. And if you spread your imagination enough, you can almost feel the cold air of winter going in your nostrils, giving freshness to the lungs as if you have breathe for the first time.
