Jean Francois Millet Biography
Jean-François Millet was born on 4 October 1814 in Gréville-Hague, near Cherbourg in Normandy. The French painter is known for his paintings of rural motifs and was a representative of Realism and a supporter of the Barbizon School. He began his artistic career in Cherbourg with the artist Lucien Théophile Ange Sosthène Langlois de Chèvreville. In 1837, the City of Cherbourg awarded him a scholarship that allowed him to study at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he enrolled in the studio of Paul Delaroche.
Millet became friends with other artists of the Barbizon School, including Constant Troyon, Narcisse Diaz, Charles Jacque and Theodore Rousseau. The son of a wealthy farmer, Millet knew poverty in the countryside and work in the fields, consequently, his style evolved towards landscape painting and rural motifs.
His best-known paintings include: "The Corn Chair", "The Sower", "The Gleaners", "The Man with the Hoe", "The Reaper" and "Return from the Field".
In 1867, Millet was named Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur and in the late 1960s he achieved due recognition for his works, followed by financial success. His works have been exhibited in international exhibitions.
Weakened by a long-term illness, Millet died on 20 January 1875 in Barbizon.
