A Shepherdess with Her Flock

Jean-François Millet French

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.

A Shepherdess with Her Flock, Jean-François Millet (French, Gruchy 1814–1875 Barbizon), Conté crayon with stumping on laid paper

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A Shepherdess with Her Flock, Jean-François Millet (French, Gruchy 1814–1875 Barbizon), Conté crayon with stumping on laid paper
A Shepherdess with Her Flock, Jean-François Millet (French, Gruchy 1814–1875 Barbizon), Conté crayon with stumping on laid paper
A Shepherdess with Her Flock, Jean-François Millet (French, Gruchy 1814–1875 Barbizon), Conté crayon with stumping on laid paper
A Shepherdess with Her Flock, Jean-François Millet (French, Gruchy 1814–1875 Barbizon), Conté crayon with stumping on laid paper

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