and promise. Yet even in so great a city as
Paris, men could starve, as he had found out by his own experience.

Perhaps Millet wished to make us feel the content of a successful
day's work such as this, with its well-earned quiet and rest, free
from the hurry and noise of the city. Although the sun is sinking over
a world of beauty and pleasure, our sower knows nothing and cares for
nothing except the accomplishment of his task. His hat, pulled down
over his face, shades his heavy, coarse features. Although an expert
in his work, doing to the utmost, his mind is probably dull and slow
and quite unequal to any great mental task. And yet what a great work
is his, after all! How dependent we are upon the men of whom he is a
type! The fact that he is doing his own work and doing that work well
compels our respect and admiration.

The light from the sun disappearing behind the hill brings out in
silhouette the figure of the sower turned toward the dark and earthy
field. This man is not posing for his picture. Quite unconscious of
our gaze, he swings briskly forward, his feet sinking slightly into
the newly plowed field. From the bag hanging from his shoulder he
scatters the grain with a long sweep of his strong right arm.

He is actually moving in the picture. Take this position for yourself.
The weight of the body falls evenly upon both feet. To raise either
foot you must move the entire body. As the right foot goes forward the
right arm goes back. If you try taking long strides and swinging your
arms you will find this is the natural movement.

The horizon line is slanting or diagonal, and divides the light part
of the picture from the dark. The sky and ground are held together by
the figure of the sower. Notice the absence of details in the picture.

The art critics of Millet's day did not appreciate the great thought
expressed in this picture, for nearly all of them found fault with it.
They could see no beauty in "a common laborer in his dirty clothes
doing his miserable work," and thought Millet should have chosen
something more beautiful to paint. What do you think of the justice of
this criticism? What is your opinion of the beauty of this picture?
Millet loved these simple, kind-hearted, hard-working peasants, loved
their lives of toil in the fields, respected their labors, and being
so wholly in sympathy with them, he wished to make us feel so, too.

=Questions to help the pupil understand the picture.= Whe