Woman Emptying a Pail

The work Woman Emptying a Pail, created by Jean François Millet (French, 1814-1875) between 1862 and 1863, exemplifies the artist's dedication to depicting agrarian life. This unusual piece is classified as a print, specifically a cliché-verre, published by Sagot-Le Garrec and Company. The technique of cliché-verre, or "glass picture," bridges traditional drawing and early photography. It involves the artist drawing on a glass plate coated with an opaque ground, then using the resulting negative to expose photo-sensitized paper, here a tan wove paper. This hybrid process was favored by Millet and other artists in mid-19th century France seeking new means of reproduction and distribution.

Throughout his career, Millet dedicated himself to documenting the dignity and hardship of rural laborers. Although less famous than his oil canvases, the prints he produced during this period offer intimate studies of daily routines. The depiction of the woman in this piece, engaged in the simple, repetitive domestic task implied by the title, contrasts sharply with the idealized subjects often found in academic French art of the era. Millet captures the solemnity and quiet purpose inherent in physical work, a hallmark of his artistic vision.

As a significant example of French graphic art, this print is preserved in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. The delicate medium of cliché-verre allowed Millet to achieve a nuanced range of tones, lending the print the immediacy of a drawing while offering the reproducibility of photography. Dating from the 1860s, this work and related prints are often made available to the wider public, having effectively entered the public domain due to their age and cultural significance.