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A Shepherdess with Her Flock

ca. 1852
Not on view
Millet settled in Barbizon, a village outside of Paris, in 1849 and dedicated himself to portraying scenes of rural life. The solitary shepherdess tending to her flock became a popular motif in his drawings and paintings. While Millet’s peaceful representations of the French countryside sought to ennoble the lives of peasants, he also provoked controversy by honestly portraying the hardships of rural poverty. Despite his focus on the timeless figure of the shepherdess, the inclusion of two farmers at work in the distance serves as a reminder of the arduous labor of provincial life.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: A Shepherdess with Her Flock
  • Artist: Jean-François Millet (French, Gruchy 1814–1875 Barbizon)
  • Date: ca. 1852
  • Medium: Conté crayon with stumping on laid paper
  • Dimensions: Overall: 13 x 18 1/2in. (33 x 47 cm)
  • Classification: Drawings
  • Credit Line: H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
  • Object Number: 29.100.116
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

More Artwork
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A Young Man Seated, Bent over a Reclining Figure
Jean-François Millet (French, Gruchy 1814–1875 Barbizon)
ca. 1845–50
Shepherd and His Flock
After Jean-François Millet (French, Gruchy 1814–1875 Barbizon)
late 19th century
Digger
Jean-François Millet (French, Gruchy 1814–1875 Barbizon)
1863
Proof from a block of sketches
Jean-François Millet (French, Gruchy 1814–1875 Barbizon)
1834–75
Digger
Jean-François Millet (French, Gruchy 1814–1875 Barbizon)
1863

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