Woman Carding Wool

Woman Carding Wool is an important etching created by Jean-François Millet in 1856. This print exemplifies the artist's dedication to depicting rural labor and the everyday lives of the French peasantry. Executed using the challenging technique of etching, the work utilizes fine, controlled lines and stark contrasts of light and shadow, defining the contours of the figure and the texture of the raw wool she is preparing. This delicate handling of the medium allows for a deep psychological insight into the subject, who is depicted with quiet, focused concentration.

Throughout his career, Millet championed the dignity of manual labor, often choosing subjects marginalized or ignored by traditional academic painting. Here, the solitary figure of a woman diligently preparing fibers for spinning transforms a mundane task into a moment of quiet monumentality. The composition emphasizes her bowed head and the rhythmic movement of her hands, highlighting the essential nature of her work. This focus aligns with the social realism movement prevalent in France during the mid-19th century, offering an unromanticized yet sympathetic view of agricultural and domestic life.

While many of Millet’s better-known pieces are large oil paintings, his collection of prints demonstrates an equally nuanced handling of form and atmosphere. The relatively small scale of this piece heightens the sense of intimacy and immediacy, characteristic of his mature style. Given the historical significance of the image, high-quality public domain reproductions of these important prints are frequently utilized for academic study worldwide. This definitive impression of Woman Carding Wool is proudly held in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.