The Wheat Reaper 1853

Jean-François Millet made "The Wheat Reaper" with etching ink on paper. Millet came from a farming background, and his art often highlighted the labor and lives of rural workers. Here, Millet directs our gaze to the back of a lone figure toiling in the fields. The worker's body language speaks volumes about the physical demands of farm labor. The artist neither romanticizes nor shies away from representing the emotional and bodily toll. During Millet's time, there was a growing interest in social realism and the lives of the working class. Unlike traditional academic paintings which focused on historical or mythological scenes, Millet chose to depict the everyday experiences of ordinary people. His focus on the dignity of labor challenged the prevailing social hierarchies. Millet once said, "I am a peasant and nothing more." In "The Wheat Reaper," Millet elevates the worker, inviting viewers to contemplate the human condition and the value of hard work.