Retreat from the Storm
Original title: Retreat from the Storm
kurzbeschreibung
Two women hurry through a rainy, gloomy landscape. Painted by Jean-François Millet around 1846 in oil on canvas, this picture makes their haste and the sense of threat immediately palpable.
Description
Under a large white hat, the left-hand figure carries a brown sack or basket and holds something like straw in her hand. The right-hand figure, smaller and seemingly younger, wears a white top and dark trousers, and turns her gaze toward her companion. Both move quickly while the background sinks into darkness and mist. Dim light falls from above onto the figures, making the murky ground behind them seem all the deeper.
Context
This work dates from Millet's early period, before he devoted himself entirely to peasant subjects. It belongs to a series of rural scenes that reflect the social and economic conditions of country people in nineteenth-century France. The romantic strain of the dramatic portrayal fits Millet's engagement with the forces of nature.
Impact
A tense mood hangs over the picture and draws the viewer into the two women's haste and worry. Dark colors and the misty landscape heighten the feeling of menace and transience.
Technique
Millet worked in oil on canvas, with detailed brushstrokes that make the fabrics and the sack stand out plastically. The subdued lighting and restrained color contribute to the dramatic effect.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)