A Sheep Grazing

The intimate print, A Sheep Grazing, was created in 1849 by the influential French artist Jean François Millet. This specific impression is particularly noteworthy for the collaborative nature of its production, having been printed by the master artisan Auguste Delâtre and signed by fellow Barbizon School member Charles Émile Jacque. Executed using a sophisticated combination of etching, drypoint, and roulette techniques, the work captures the subtle textural richness attainable on white laid paper. This fusion of meticulous methods highlights Millet's intense commitment to exploring realism through graphic arts.

Millet, a key figure in the move toward Realism in mid-19th century France, consistently focused his artistic output on the lives of peasants and animals intimately connected to the land. In this scene, a lone sheep is depicted bent over, actively grazing, offering a powerful yet quiet observation of rural existence. The artist expertly utilized the rich, velvety blacks generated by the drypoint needle and the granular texture imparted by the roulette to define form and atmosphere within the rustic setting.

While often celebrated for his definitive oil paintings, Millet was a prolific graphic artist, contributing significantly to the tradition of French prints during this era. The survival and study of prints such as this one allow for wider access to the artist's foundational compositions. This important example of 19th-century printmaking is held within the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, assuring its longevity for scholarship. Given the artwork’s age and historical significance, high-quality images of this masterpiece are frequently available in the public domain for research and appreciation worldwide.