The Gleaners

7:00 AM

Jean-François Millet, The Gleaners, 1857
By NAYOUNG KWON

Also a feature on Animal Crossing game, The Gleaners by Jean François Millet showcases the realistic view of poverty within the society during the industrial time, but also displays a sympathetic view towards poor, low ranked peasants. However, this piece was a way to critique the unfair treatments of female laborers. The day he showcased this painting, it drew many negative comments from the French middle and upper class because it was a reminder that French society was built from the labor of working classes. On top of that, the fact that Millet created this piece in such a huge scale, depicting labor classes ended up making it worse for the public eye. 

Millet painted with oil on canvas and  divided the composition in half. the top half can be seen as a city where its clean and calm with pinkish blue skies. However, the bottom half of the painting, we can see the peasants working in an unlikeable setting. The ladies are set in a triangular composition from right arm of the women with the blue hat connecting to the women with green hat. They are also in the center as a focal point to strictly depict the poor working class within the painting. The colors are set in a neutral tone so that the women seem as if they are blended with the ground. 

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