France has always been famous for its painters, sculptors, writers and other artists. The heyday of painting in this European country came in the XVII-XIX centuries.
One of the brightest representatives of the FrenchFine art is Jean-François Millet, who specialized in creating paintings of rural life and landscapes. This is a very bright representative of its genre, whose paintings are still highly valued.
The future painter was born 04.10.1814 near the city of Cherbourg, in a tiny village called Gryushi. Although his family was a peasant, they lived quite prosperously.
Even at an early age, Jean began to showability to painting. The family, where no one had previously had the opportunity to leave his native village and build a career in any other field, except for the peasantry, the son’s talent was received with great enthusiasm.
Parents supported the young man in an effort to studypainting and paid him tuition. In 1837, Jean-François Millet moved to Paris, where within two years he mastered the basics of painting craft. His mentor is Paul Delaroche.
Already in 1840, an aspiring artist for the first time demonstrated his paintings in one of the salons. At that time it could already be perceived as a considerable success, especially for a young painter.
Paris didn't like Jean Francois Millet too much,who yearned for rural landscapes and lifestyles. Therefore, in 1849, he decides to leave the capital, moving to Barbizon, which was much calmer and more comfortable than noisy Paris.
Here the artist lived the rest of his life. He himself considered himself a peasant, and therefore reached for the village.
That is why in his work the plots of peasant life and village landscapes predominate. He did not just understand and empathize with the simple farmers and shepherds, but he himself was part of this class.
He, like no one else, knew how hard it is for ordinary people, how difficult their work is and what a beggarly way of life they lead. He admired these people, of which he considered himself a part.
The artist was very talented and hardworking.During his life, he created many paintings, many of which today are considered to be true masterpieces of the genre. One of the most famous works of Jean Francois Millet - "Eaters Collectors" (1857). The painting is famous for reflecting all the burden, poverty and hopelessness of simple peasants.
It shows women bent overears, because otherwise do not collect the remnants of the crop. Despite the fact that the picture showed the realities of peasant life, it caused mixed feelings among the public. Someone considered it a masterpiece, while others spoke out very negatively. Because of this, the artist decided to soften his style a bit, demonstrating more aesthetic aspects of rural life.
Cloth "Anzhelyus" (1859) demonstrates in all its glory talent of Jean-François Millet. The painting depicts two people (husband and wife), who in the evening twilight pray for people who have left this world. Soft brownish halftones of the landscape, the rays of the setting sun give the picture a special warmth and comfort.
In the same year 1859, Millet painted the painting "Peasant Woman Shepherding a Cow", which was created by special order from the French government.
At the end of his career, Jean-François Millet began to pay more attention to landscapes. Household genre faded into the background. Perhaps he was influenced by the Barbizon School of Painting.
Jean-Francois Millet has become one of the heroes of the story“Is he alive or dead?” Written by Mark Twain. In the story, several artists decided to launch an adventure. On this they pushed poverty. They decide that one of them is dramatizing his own death, having thoroughly agitated it. After his death, the price of the artist's paintings will have to soar in price, and everyone has enough for a living. It was Francois Millet who became the one who played his own death. And the artist himself was one of those who carried his own coffin. They achieved their goal.
This story also became the basis for the dramatic work "Talents and the Dead", which is now being demonstrated at the Moscow Theater. A.S. Pushkin.
The artist had a great influence on French and world painting in general. His paintings today are highly valued, and many are exhibited in major museums and galleries in Europe and the world.
Today it is considered one of the most prominentrepresentatives of the domestic rural genre and a magnificent landscape painter. He has a lot of followers, and many artists who create in a similar genre, one way or another are guided by his works.
The painter is considered to be the pride of his homeland, and his paintings are the property of national art.
Жан Франсуа Милле, картины которого являются these masterpieces of painting, made an invaluable contribution to European painting and world art. He is rightfully on a par with the greatest artists. Although he did not become the ancestor of the new style, did not experiment with technology and did not seek to shock the public, his paintings revealed the essence of peasant life, showing all the unpleasantness of the life of the village people.
Такую откровенность в полотнах, чувственность и truthfulness can be found far from every painter, even the famous and eminent. He just painted pictures of what he saw with his own eyes, and not only saw, but felt himself. He grew up in this environment and knew peasant life from the wrong side.
