Drie vrouwen lezen aren op akker

The work Drie vrouwen lezen aren op ak akker by Jean François Millet, created in 1855, is a significant example of 19th-century French printmaking. Executed on paper, this classification places the piece within Millet’s lifelong exploration of rural life and labor, key themes in the emerging Realist movement. Millet was renowned for elevating the subject of the peasant from mere anecdote to serious artistic study, focusing keenly on those marginalized by industrial society.

The subject matter depicts three women engaged in gleaning, the traditional right of the poorest community members to gather leftover grains after the main harvest. These figures are positioned low against a vast, open field, emphasizing their close, often grueling, relationship to the agricultural landscape. Unlike earlier, idealized depictions of rural life, Millet focused on the inherent dignity and difficulty of manual labor. This approach often rendered his works politically charged during the social upheavals of the Second French Empire, where the plight of the rural poor was a sensitive topic.

This print offers insight into Millet’s compositional process and his variations on themes he addressed repeatedly, most famously in his 1857 oil painting, The Gleaners. The technique employed showcases the textural quality that defined his style, characterized by a solemn realism and deep sympathy for his subjects. Now housed in the prestigious collection of the Rijksmuseum, this work remains a vital document of mid-19th-century French art. As a historical piece, the visual documentation found in Drie vrouwen lezen aren op akker ensures its continued study by scholars and its availability for public appreciation in art reference collections globally, including those making historic prints accessible through the public domain.