A French artist, Jean-François Millet was one of the founding members of the Barbizon school. His work depicted peasant farmers and other rural scenes, and he is considered part of the Realism art movement. In his later years, however, he became more interested in capturing pure landscapes. Although his style shifted from realism to impressionism, he never lost his affinity for the rural landscape.
After studying with Dumouchel in Cherbourg, Millet was able to travel to Paris and study with the famous painter, Paul Delaroche. He studied under the renowned teacher, Lucien-Theophile Langlois, who was a pupil of Baron Gros. In 1837, he was given a stipend to attend the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, where he studied under Paul Delaroche. After a year, his scholarship was terminated, and his first submission to the Salon was rejected.
Despite his poverty, Millet had an extraordinary memory. He could paint without a model, recalling even the smallest gestures and moments in a scene. By the time he had finished The Winnower, his first masterpiece, he was already well established and enjoying great success. The Winnower, which he painted in 1848, brought him his first big success and critics accusing him of socialism. After the death of his wife, Millet settled in Barbizon, where he painted landscapes and the rural scenes of his childhood.
In the 1850s, Millet's career exploded. He toured the world, selling his paintings for a record amount of eight hundred thousand gold francs. He became a patriarch in his field and a well-known painter. He was only fifty-three years old when he achieved public recognition. In 1869, he won the gold medal of the Academy of Arts. The year following his death, Millet had a son who had a difficult life.
