The Mill of Montmartre 1815 - 1825

Editor: So, this is "The Mill of Montmartre," painted by Georges Michel sometime between 1815 and 1825. It’s an oil painting, currently at the Met. It’s pretty gloomy, isn’t it? The windmill looks almost defeated against that stormy sky. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a powerful statement about resilience amidst overwhelming forces. Consider the windmill itself. Windmills traditionally symbolize prosperity and industry, but here, silhouetted against the dark sky, it suggests a bygone era, perhaps even a warning. What feeling does the broken sail evoke in you? Editor: It makes me feel like time is passing, and not in a gentle way. Things are decaying, maybe progress isn’t always upwards. Curator: Precisely! And it resonates with a broader cultural memory. This was painted after the French Revolution, a time of great upheaval. Doesn’t the dilapidated state of the mill mirror the uncertainties and anxieties of that period? The romantic glorification of nature almost feels like a eulogy. Editor: That makes a lot of sense. I was so focused on the immediate impression of gloom that I missed the historical context. Curator: Look at how Michel uses light and shadow, drawing our eyes to a path, two indistinct figures. These symbols hint towards society's ordinary continuity with those seeking stability, their tiny forms juxtaposed to the decaying mill hinting a cultural memory of a society that values tradition over rapid industrial change. Does this symbolism affect your impression now? Editor: Definitely! I see the continuity even within the decay. Curator: The symbolic interplay creates a narrative that is less about the literal scene and more about our shared past, influencing our present perception. It makes you ponder the cycles of history, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely. I came in seeing only darkness, but I leave with a much richer understanding of history repeating.