1.
JEAN-FRANÇOIS MILLET
REALISM
PAINTEROctober 4, 1814 – January 20, 1875
The Goose Girl at Gruchy, 1854-56The Sower
Khanh Le

2.
EARLY LIFE/BACKGROUND
 Born in Normandy, France
 He was of peasant ancestry. His family worked on the farmhouse,
farming their land to support themselves.
 He was the second out of nine children.
 At age 12, his caretaker tries to talk him into the priesthood, but
declined.
1.

3.
PROPERTIES OF MILLETS
REALISM ART
 Scenes are depicted in a detached an unemotional way
 Objectivity is an artistic goal: scenes are painted as they were, no
glamour.
 Millet’s emphasis is on everyday life
painting scenes of people at work and family
scenes.
The Walk to Work

4.
 1. “Some people tell me that I deny the charms of the countryside;
I see far more in it than charm. I see infinite splendors. . . . I see
very clearly the halos of the dandelions, and the sun, far away
beyond the villages, suffusing the clouds with its glory. But I also
see the steaming, straining horses on the plain, and the
stony place where a man has been toiling and panting since
morning, and now tries to straighten up for a short breather.
…, and as all my life I have seen nothing but fields, I do my best
to tell what I saw and felt when I was working there.” [1863 letter]

5.
The Sower

6.
Man With A Hoe

7.
The Gleaners

8.
COMPOSITION
 Rarely painted poses
Ruth and Boaz
Vigneron au Repos

9.
USE OF ILLUMINATION
 Uses the night to evoke a sense of
mystery
 Often goes from dark to light
 Light from above or behind
Le parc a moutons

10.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Staley, Edgcumbe. Jean François Millet. London: G. Bell &
Sons, 1903. Print.
2. http://www.jeanmillet.org
 http://www.annexgalleries.com/artists/biography/1607/Millet/Jean
 http://www.paintingmania.com/sower-1850-172_15057.html

11.
REALISM / NATURALISM LESSON
PLAN
 Time: Over two 45-minute class sessions spread over 2 non-
consecutive days. Students will also need some time outside of
class for observations.
 General Goal:
 Children will learn…
 The idea of realism paintings, and how they differ from other types
of paintings, such as romanticism paintings.
 To observe people and objects around them in everyday life, and
to write down what they see in a notebook
 About Jean Francois Millet
 Create an original art piece

12.
Supplies/Materials for students
 sketching paper
 Pencils
 Fine tip black markers
 Crayons
 Notebook

13.
 1. Have students make detailed observations wherever they go
out with their parents in a notebook. One observation a day is
preferable.
 (Example. I went to the park to walk my dog and saw the ice
cream truck, it was parked on the red curb, was dirty, and had
trash all around it)

14.
 2. After a few days, have students pick out one scene they
observed from their notebook, and to their best ability sketch it
onto the paper with pencil. Make sure they include some
elements of realism into their sketch! (Stained carpet, dirty
clothes, dead grass)

15.
 3. Once outlined, have the students outline the pencil sketch with
a fine tipped felt pen.

16.
 4. Now have the students color in their drawing with crayon.

17.
DAY 2
 5. Once the students have completed their coloring, have
students come up to the front of their class. They will then give an
informal presentation of their piece. They should share their notes
and final product.

18.
 Evaluation:
 Did the child take detailed notes over the time frame?
 Did the student follow directions?
 Did the student create an original piece of art, with properties of
realism painting?
 Did the student participate in the class presentations?
 Was the student able to explain how their work had properties of
realism, and was able to identify what an idealized version of their
subject would be?