The Sower - Jean-François Millet Canvas.

Jean-François Millet is one of the leading painters of the 19th century French Barbizon School . Known as the "peasant painter," he continued to paint the people who worked in rural areas with deep sympathy and respect. In particular, his works such as "The Gleaners" and "The Angelus" are masterpieces that express the solemnity and dignity of peasant life and continue to inspire many people even today.

Jean-Francois Millet Biography

• Born on October 4, 1814 in Gruchy, Normandy, France.
• Around 1833, he began his painting training under a portrait painter in Cherbourg.
• In 1837, he went to Paris to enroll in the École des Beaux-Arts (National School of Fine Arts), but soon dropped out.
• First accepted at the Salon in 1840
• In 1849, he moved to the village of Barbizon on the outskirts of Paris and began painting peasant scenes.
• 1857: The Gleaners causes controversy at the Salon
• In 1867, he won first prize at the Universal Exhibition in Paris and achieved fame.
• Died at Barbizon on January 20, 1875 (aged 60)

Representative works

• The Gleaners (1857)
• The Angelus (1857-1859)
• The Sower (1850)
• Harvesters Resting (Ruth and Boaz) (1850-1853)
• Shepherdess with her Flock (c. 1864)

The Art of Jean-François Millet

A notable feature of Millet's art is that he portrayed people working in rural areas with deep empathy and affection. Known as the "peasant painter," Millet lived among peasants himself and continued to observe their labor and daily activities with sincerity. His works express the harshness of peasant life, as well as their dignity in their labor and their spiritual strength. In particular, his representative works such as "The Gleaners" and "The Angelus" fuse realistic depiction with poetic expression, elevating the figure of the peasant to a universal human figure. His works can be said to be based on a deep insight into nature, which is common to the realist and Barbizon school painters of his time.

The influence of Jean-François Millet and his later reputation

Millet had a great influence on artists of later generations through his peasant paintings. Van Gogh in particular had a deep respect for Millet and learned a lot from him, including copying his works. Millet's art was also linked to socialist ideology and was supported by working-class people. Today, Millet is highly regarded around the world as one of the leading painters of the Barbizon School . Keywords such as " peasant painter ," " gleaners ," " The Angelus ," " Barbizon School ," and " realism " are important elements in understanding Millet's art. His works are housed in art museums around the world and continue to inspire many people even today.