Night, from "Four Times of the Day"
Original title: Night, from "Four Times of the Day"
kurzbeschreibung
Two people sit in a room lit only sparingly: one works at a spinning wheel, the other holds needlework in her lap. Jean-François Millet made this print, titled 'Night,' as part of his series 'The Four Times of Day' (1830–75). It was executed as a wood engraving on chine collé.
Description
The two figures face each other in the foreground, arranged symmetrically. On the left someone sits on a stool and works the spinning wheel; on the right another rests on a chair, busy with needle and thread. A lantern behind them casts a weak light through the room. Black and white govern the image, with dense hatching modelling surfaces and building depth. The surroundings stay clearly simplified next to the figures.
Context
Millet, known in the mid-nineteenth century for his scenes of rural life, produced the 'Four Times of Day' series during those years. The wood engraving served as reproductive printmaking, meant to bring his work closer to a wider public. Showing everyday tasks done by artificial light points to an interest in the working world of ordinary people.
Impact
A quiet, concentrated mood comes from this intimate scene. Frugal lighting and the symmetrical layout draw the eye to what the two people are doing and invite reflection.
Technique
For the wood engraving the motif was cut into a woodblock and then pulled on chine collé paper. Fine hatching and precise lines — characteristic of this process — allow a nuanced rendering of light and shadow.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)