Landscape, Vichy

Landscape, Vichy by Jean-François Millet, executed between 1861 and 1872, is a detailed drawing showcasing the artist's command of mixed media. This refined piece employs pen and brown ink layered meticulously over an initial graphite sketch. Millet further enriched the composition using strokes of blue, black, and green chalk, adding atmospheric depth and tonal complexity to the scene. The drawing is executed on laid paper, which features the distinctive "bunch of grapes" watermark, providing crucial provenance information.

The subject matter is characteristic of Millet's focus on natural scenes during his later career, emphasizing the dynamic relationship between light and mass within the landscape. The powerful rendering of mature trees dominates the composition, serving as a key structural motif. While often associated with depictions of peasant life, this drawing focuses purely on the geometry and structure of the natural world, capturing a specific view near the spa town of Vichy, France.

This work highlights Millet’s technical versatility as a draftsman, documenting his evolving approach to pure landscape studies during the 1860s. The quick, decisive use of ink contrasts sharply with the broader application of colored chalk, giving the study a vibrant immediacy. This important drawing is housed within the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. As a historically significant piece now residing in the public domain, high-quality digital images and resultant fine art prints allow scholars and enthusiasts worldwide to closely examine Millet’s detailed technique and mastery across diverse media.