A Sheep Grazing 1849

Jean-François Millet made this etching of a sheep grazing in France sometime in the mid-19th century. Rural life was changing rapidly as France industrialized, and the rise of cities drew people away from agricultural work. Etchings like this, and Millet's paintings of peasant life, can be seen as part of a nostalgic longing for a traditional way of life at a time of social change. The image carries meaning through the composition: the sheep dominates the image, while the shepherd is tiny, a marginal figure. Is Millet showing the dignity of labor, or lamenting the decline of a traditional social structure? Historians look to periodicals, government documents, and other sources to understand the cultural context of this artwork. By doing so, we can come to appreciate the role of art as a reflection on the changing social landscape.