Sheepshearing 1855

"Sheepshearing," an 1855 lithograph by Jean-François Millet, depicts a woman shearing a sheep in a rural setting. The detailed lines and hatching of the artwork, characteristic of Millet's style, evoke the texture of the sheep's wool and the roughness of the tools. This work, which is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, exemplifies Millet's focus on the lives of ordinary people and their connection to the land, a theme prevalent in his celebrated paintings.