The Gleaners is a painting done by Jean-Francois Millet. Millet grew up in Normandy, a rural area of France. He painted it in 1857 using oil on canvas. Its dimensions are 83.5 x 110 cm. It is housed today in Paris, France in the Musee d’Orsay.
The Gleaners, is an important work of Millet painted during the Realism art movement. Millet was raised in a farming community, his life experiences are expressed in his art. The painting depicts a common practice at that time of the poor villagers that would come and glean the fields after they had been harvested. The painting is a representation of the social classes of the time. He shows the great disparity between the classes. The wealth of the upper classes and the poverty of the lower classes. Through this painting, Millet shows the noble farmer. Even though the women were dressed in rough clothing and were engaged in menial labor, they were noble.
The three women in the painting are humble and hardworking. Their clothes are made of rough fabric. They have muddy shoes. They have aprons on and a kerchief on their heads. All these things point to their lower class status. Their clothes are humble, but they are working hard to provide for their family. Their purpose is noble. The women are all bent over, hard at their work. Even their posture alludes to their humility, yet at the same time speaks to their strength. Their strong backs carry a heavy load. Not just the wheat that they are gleaning from the fields, but also the responsibility of contributing to help provide for their families. When I look at these women I see strength. I love that Millet painted women. He gave them humility and strength. Character traits that define the noble farmer.
The disparity of the classes that was prevalent at this time in France is illustrated in this painting. The contrast of the towering wheat in the background and the small harvest that the women have gleaned from these fields tells the story of the humble circumstances of these peasant women. There is plenty of food, yet the hardworking peasants, who actually work in the fields, are left with so little. The slow back breaking work of the women is in great contrast to the bustling harvest going on in the background. The colors used even speak to this disparity. The women are painted in earth tones, they match the fields around them. They are standing in the shadows. They are earthy and simple. The background is painted in golden colors. The wheat is golden. The sun is shining on the harvesters in the background. The colors magnify the differences between the two groups. The sun is shining on the wealthy while the poor stand in their shadow and gather the scraps of their excess.
I thought this painting was an important example of all that we have been learning this semester. The idea of the essential role that the farmer plays in our communities. They embark in a noble profession, without which, the world would literally not survive without. I loved the strength and humility that Millet gave his farmers. These two character traits, above all others, I think define the farmer. He has the strength to work hard, a strong moral compass and the humility to work hard without seeking the praise of the world.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org, Jean-Francois Millet, 23 March 2015, web 27 February 2015
Jean-Francois Millet, The Gleaners, 1857, Musee d’Orsay, Paris, France, commons.wikimedia.org, web; 23 March 2015
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