Avril

Throughout his career, Lhermitte remained devoted to his subject matter, the peasant, which to him was the embodiment of the most fundamental and consistent element in human society. Although Lhermitte was well related in artistic circles, and was aware of both revolutionary movements as well as the rapid industrial changes of his time, a favorite subject of the emerging impressionist painters, he established a career depicting the essence of rural life. Lhermitte was not alone in his choice of the peasant and rural life as the subject matter for his art. Artists such as Jean Cazin, a close friend of Lhermitte's, Julien Dupré, Jules Breton, and Jules Bastien-Lepage, to name a few, communicated as well as idealized through their work, the pride, integrity and innocence that the rural classes comprised.

Coloring in Lhermitte's art is highly representative of the intended mood and functions as one of the artist's main tools of expression. In this work, he uses muted and pastel hues yet the colors are bright indicating the tender beginnings of love between the young couple.

An oil replica of the present work was exhibited at the Salon de la Société nationale des Beaux-Arts, 1912, under the title Printemps (no. 871). This second version, commissioned by Reinhardt, the original owner of this work, which he purchased for 25,000 FF.