The Carder 1854

Jean-François Millet's drawing, "The Carder," captures a figure working with wool, likely made in the mid-19th century. The composition is structured by a play of light and shadow that directs the viewer's eye through the scene, highlighting the textures of both the wool and the figure's clothing. The artwork is rendered in a muted palette, composed of blacks, whites and greys. Millet's approach to form and structure reflects a formal emphasis on the tactile qualities of the materials depicted, contrasting the softness of the wool with the solid, geometric form of the table. This formal tension between softness and rigidity may reflect broader themes of labour and the dignity of manual work. The artist's detailed depiction of mundane labor is grounded in the tangible realities of rural life. In the end, what remains with us is Millet's formal approach to his subject matter, which transforms the act of carding wool into a study of form, texture, and the human condition.