An American expatriate working in Paris, Daniel Ridgway Knight was a master of the French academic style. Even as French Impressionists challenged the Parisian Academy’s traditions, Knight’s romantic depictions of French peasants remained extremely popular with American collectors. For many, Knight’s bucolic scenes offered an escape from the increasingly fast pace of urban life. To accommodate demand, Knight often created several variations of the same painting. An Idle Moment is one such work.