The Lovers

"The Lovers," a compelling drawing created by Jean François Millet French, 1814-1875 between 1846 and 1850, offers an intimate glimpse into the artist's early period. This delicate work is executed in black crayon on buff wove paper, notable for its subtle inclusion of blue fibers, which lends a unique texture to the surface. The classification as a drawing highlights Millet's foundational skill in draftsmanship before he became renowned for his large-scale oil paintings depicting rural life. Created during a significant transitional period in French art, this piece shows the artist grappling with naturalistic representation and emotional subject matter, a thematic approach less typical of his later iconic peasant scenes.

While Millet is primarily associated with the Barbizon School and his powerful portrayals of peasants and agricultural laborers, The Lovers suggests an earlier focus on interior, romantic, or domestic themes. The choice of medium allows the artist to achieve a soft chiaroscuro and a sense of immediacy often absent in his more formal compositions. The drawing reflects the rich cultural output of France in the mid-19th century, bridging the prevalent Romantic sentimentality of the era with the emerging impulses toward realism. As an original work preserved in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, this drawing is an important reference point for understanding the full breadth of Millet’s output. Today, high-quality digital prints derived from the museum’s documentation are frequently made available through various public domain initiatives, ensuring widespread access to the master’s early career pieces.