The Sower

"The Sower" is a powerful lithograph created by Jean-François Millet in 1851, though this specific impression is a posthumous printing, dating to 1879 or later, representing the second and final state of the stone. Millet, a leading figure in the Barbizon school and the Realist movement, dedicated his career to capturing the dignity and difficulty of rural existence. This specialized print classification is a posthumous impression, meaning it was pulled after the artist's death in 1875, likely by publisher Alfred Cadart, further establishing the enduring demand for the work.

This iconic piece depicts a solitary man engaged in the strenuous act of sowing seeds across a windswept, twilight field. Millet utilizes dramatic contrasts and a monumental scale, emphasizing the massive physical presence of the man and the arduous nature of his working life. While the figure of the sower dominates the composition, details of the rural environment, including faint outlines of farm animals such as cows or oxen, ground the scene in 19th-century agricultural reality.

The original concept of The Sower debuted around 1850, instantly polarizing Parisian critics who were unaccustomed to such unflinching artistic focus on poverty and labor. The image became a hallmark of the Realist aesthetic, influencing subsequent generations of artists globally. This important print resides in the esteemed collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of the age and widespread popularity of Millet’s powerful image, original prints and subsequent reproductions often enter the public domain, allowing for widespread study of this fundamental document of 19th-century life.