Peasants Going to Work

"Peasants Going to Work" is a significant print by Jean François Millet French, 1814-1875, created in 1863. This powerful scene depicting agricultural labor is rendered as an etching, executed from a portion of the plate on ivory laid chine. This specific medium classification highlights Millet’s dedication to mastering graphic arts alongside his more famous oil canvases, providing a direct, unvarnished look at rural life in mid-19th century France.

The subject matter depicts the quiet, arduous reality of the peasantry, a dominant and influential theme throughout the artist's career. Millet’s reputation rests on his sympathetic yet unsentimental portrayals, capturing figures walking the long path toward the fields, defined by their heavy clothing and silent determination. In contrast to idealized academic art of the period, these individuals are presented not as picturesque subjects but as monumental figures whose presence elevates the dignity of daily toil.

The etching technique allows for stark contrasts and fine, deliberate line work, emphasizing the texture of the soil and the weighted drapery of the peasants’ attire. As a central figure in the Barbizon School and a foundational realist, Millet’s influence on subsequent generations of artists working in France was immense, bridging academic traditions and modern sensibilities. This impression of Peasants Going to Work is held in the renowned prints collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, serving as a primary example of 19th-century French realism. As a valuable cultural artifact, the imagery of this important print is often available through public domain archives, ensuring its accessibility to scholars and students worldwide.