Man Threshing Wheat
Original title: Man Threshing Wheat
kurzbeschreibung
A farm worker threshing grain in a shed is the focus of this woodcut, which Jean-François Millet made in 1853 as a proof on chine collé. The small sheet captures a moment of peasant labor.
Description
With a straw broom, the man shakes the grain so that the kernels separate from the straw. He wears the traditional clothing of a farm laborer and stands indoors, where the walls are made of wood and the roof is thatched. Behind him, more bundles of grain are piled up, and beside them a wooden structure can be seen. The layout centers on the figure, who forms the middle of the image. Carefully drawn lines bring out the texture of the grain and the folds of the clothing.
Context
The woodcut was made in 1853, during a period when Millet was deeply engaged with peasant life. As a member of the Barbizon school, he devoted himself to a realistic rendering of rural life. Unlike many woodcuts of those years, this print was intended as an independent work of art, not as an illustration.
Impact
The restriction to black and white and the reduced forms give the sheet a quiet, almost meditative presence. By directing the gaze entirely to the working man, a dignified, serious mood arises, characteristic of Millet's work.
Technique
This work is a woodcut on chine collé, in which the thin Japanese paper was glued to a sturdier support. As a proof, it reproduces the delicate lines of the woodcut with great precision.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)