Landscape Hillside in Gruchy 1870

Jean-François Millet made this drawing of a Landscape Hillside in Gruchy, using pen and ink. The strokes vary, from fine lines to denser marks made by holding the pen at an angle to the paper. The rural scene that Millet renders speaks to the slow rhythm of agricultural life. Note the simple materials; the drawing is made with everyday tools and techniques. This is not an artwork that revels in painterly effects. Instead, the ink is handled with an economical touch, a direct reflection of the labor it portrays. This landscape shows a sympathy to ordinary people and their lives. By emphasizing these values, Millet challenges the hierarchy that positions landscape painting below the supposedly more elevated genres of portraiture and history painting. Millet's focus on the life and labor of the peasant classes elevates a subject that had previously been seen as marginal. It reminds us to look beyond conventional notions of beauty and skill, and to value the artistry inherent in all forms of creative expression.