A Woman Burning Weeds
Original title: A Woman Burning Weeds
kurzbeschreibung
Jean-François Millet portrays a peasant woman burning weeds in this work from 1830–75. The sheet is executed in a mixed technique: pen and brown iron gall ink, watercolor and wash over graphite on laid paper.
Description
In the foreground stands the woman, wearing a headscarf, a top and loose, long trousers; her hands are clasped, the right one holding a spade. Close beside her a fire burns, smoke rising. Behind, a plain landscape with shrubs and a flat horizon opens up. Brown tones dominate the palette, with blue and gray values providing accents.
Context
Created between 1830 and 1875, the sheet falls into a period when Millet was deeply engaged with peasant life. He belonged to the Barbizon School, which depicted rural reality without idealization. The work may have been conceived as a study or as an independent watercolor—an approach characteristic of Millet's handling of everyday scenes.
Impact
The woman appears calm and collected, wholly absorbed in her task. Muted colors and the simple arrangement create a quiet, dignified mood that pays respect to peasant daily life.
Technique
Millet combined pen drawing in brown iron gall ink with watercolor laid over a graphite underdrawing. The support is laid paper; the wash produces soft transitions, while the pen draws clear contours.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)