Man Threshing Wheat

"Man Threshing Wheat," created by Jean-François Millet in 1853, is a powerful example of the artist's profound dedication to depicting the arduous realities of rural life and agricultural labor. This specific work is a print, executed using the demanding technique of woodcut on chine collé. Millet, a foundational figure in the Barbizon School, rejected the academic narratives favored by the Salon, choosing instead to focus his immense talents on scenes involving the working class and the quiet dignity of manual subjects.

The composition focuses intently on a lone male figure, captured mid-swing as he performs the essential, rhythmic task of threshing grain with a flail. Millet’s deliberate use of the woodcut medium results in a design of stark contrasts, heavy shadows, and thick outlines, which expertly conveys the physical effort required for the labor. The application of chine collé—a process where a thin, delicate piece of paper is adhered to a thicker backing sheet during printing—enhances the density of the black ink, lending the resulting prints a depth and dramatic texture that underscores the gravity of the subject.

Dating to a period of heightened social awareness in France, this piece reflects the rising interest among artists in the realities faced by agriculturalists in the mid-nineteenth century. Millet’s enduring legacy rests on his ability to transform these everyday, manual subjects into compelling, heroic forms. The subject of Man Threshing Wheat aligns with the artist’s broader portfolio addressing themes of tireless human exertion and agrarian existence. As an important surviving example of French nineteenth-century prints, this woodcut is held in the renowned collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Like many works of this era and medium, prints derived from this original imagery are often made available through public domain collections.