Morning, from "Four Times of the Day"

Morning, from "Four Times of the Day" by Jean-François Millet is a significant example of 19th-century printmaking, executed between approximately 1830 and 1875. This piece is a delicate wood engraving, transferred using the specialized technique of chine collé. In this process, a thin, fragile sheet of paper (chine) is carefully adhered to a thicker support paper during the printing process, enhancing the fine detail typical of Millet’s expressive line work. The resulting print captures the quiet atmosphere of rural life and showcases the artist's dedication to scenes of everyday labor.

As one component of a larger series addressing the cycle of the day, Morning centers on the awakening activities of a farming community. The composition typically features men and women beginning their daily tasks, often surrounded by animals necessary for labor and sustenance. Millet, known for his commitment to depicting peasant life with dignity, uses the setting of dawn to emphasize labor and the perpetual rhythms of nature. The stark contrasts inherent in the wood engraving medium effectively translate the dramatic shift from night to morning light, highlighting the emerging forms of the workers and their immediate environment.

While Millet is often celebrated for his oil paintings, his exploration across various print classifications, including etching and engraving, offers crucial insight into his development as an artist. This specific impression of the print is held within the renowned collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of the era and the nature of the medium, many related prints from the "Four Times of the Day" series are now frequently found in the public domain, allowing wide access to this important element of Millet’s oeuvre.