Peasants Going to Work

Peasants Going to Work is an evocative print created in 1863 by Jean François Millet, working in collaboration with the master printer Auguste Delâtre. This print utilizes the demanding techniques of etching and drypoint, executed on warm grayish wove paper, showcasing the characteristic rich burr and varied lines associated with Delâtre’s high-quality production standards. Millet, a central figure in the French Realist movement, focused almost exclusively on depicting the dignity and often harsh realities of rural life.

The work captures two figures walking through a stark, open landscape, presumably heading toward their daily agricultural tasks. Millet avoided romanticizing his subjects, instead presenting an honest, unsentimental portrayal of the working-class people of France during the mid-19th century. Through careful deployment of drypoint burr and etched lines, the figures emerge from the paper, weighted down by the implied severity of their existence. This focus on labor firmly placed Millet within the Realist tradition, challenging the traditional academic hierarchy of subject matter.

This compelling example of 19th-century French graphic art is housed within the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As one of Millet’s seminal graphic outputs from the 1860s, this print is historically significant. Due to its age and cultural importance, high-quality images of this print and similar works are frequently referenced and often found within the public domain.