Two Men Digging

Two Men Digging is a powerful etching created between 1855 and 1856 by the celebrated French artist Jean François Millet, in collaboration with the master printer Auguste Delâtre. The piece is a remarkable example of 19th-century printmaking, executed on delicate ivory wove China paper that has been carefully hinged to a cream card mount. This medium allowed Millet to rapidly disseminate images focusing on the common laborer, a subject central to his career and the burgeoning Realist movement.

Millet, associated with the Barbizon School, sought to capture the integrity and struggle of agrarian life. The composition features two solid, heavily built figures immersed in their work, emphasizing the physical weight and enduring nature of manual labor. Through the meticulous line work characteristic of etching, the artist conveys texture in the earth, the worn fabric of their clothes, and the strain etched onto their bodies. This sympathetic and unromanticized portrayal of the peasantry marked a significant shift in artistic focus within France during this period.

The production of high-quality prints like this one ensured that Millet’s influential vision reached a broad audience. While many important impressions remain in private hands, works depicting similar themes by the artist are frequently studied, with many images now accessible in the public domain for research and appreciation. This specific impression is held in the extensive collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it provides a vital look into mid-19th-century social realism and the technical skill of both Millet and Delâtre.