The sun., 1889-11-19


yet We see ct Rianco that only 1rflet could
have painted It Milsts love for his birthplace
lasted throuRhout his life. and he felt banished
In the inland VILLAGE OF Barblson, whore he was
Obliged to stay to bo near the great picture
mart in Paris. He often painted scenes from
Grevflle. and this picture seems to have been
an especial favorite, for he mentions It more
than onoo in his letters. It was painted in
1s6O-1ee2. and he writes Of 1t to Theophile Sill
vestre:
The view Of the village Is naturally shut IN
By the houses, but on reaching the end. which
is toward the sea one has suddenly In face the
Grand sea view and the horizon without limit.
Near the last house 10 an old oak which rises
against the Infinite space. How long has this
poor old tree been battered By the north wind ?
| have heard the old men Of the village say
that they have always known II 20 have seen
It 1t is not very tall or very large since It has
always been torn BY the winds. It is more slen-
der at the base than little higher up, whore
Il 10 covered by excrescences which become
green each year and form. e. it were. sort of
run. The woman had seated her child near
her In the little chair that she might spin but
the child becoming restless she has carried her
to the little WALL where she amuseu herself per-
maps by pluckinR the little leaves that grow
upon the trunk Of the old tree. or looks at this
or that upon the sea- I wished that the two
chairs, the little and the large. should not bo
mute. The geese have soon seen that the
woman has left her place near the door and as
Is their constant idea, have hurried to get into
the house. The place is so quiet and still that
the CRY OF goose or the csckling Of hen
takes on an immense Importance. The height
OF the Village above the sea 10 about 300 feet.
Tnink OF tho Impressions one may receive
from such spot; clouds drifting through
| eDnc0. mOnRoin0 maaaau ypop thn ha.,...
| vessels passing to distant countries, storms.
nne weather. and 10 on and 30 on"
All Millets gentle soul. all his passionate love
Tor nature and mankind, speak In this simple
nose; ana all bis power as O painter OF ideas
shows In the canvas itself. What he has meant
to put into 1t he has put into It: We read tho
little domestic scene. hear the cacklinR OF the
geese feel the peace and quiet OF the spot,
breathe the salty freshness OF the air are
warmed By the soft afternoon sun. And with
all this the purely pictorial qualities OF the
canvas are most remarkable. Its color is ad-
miraple, and surely no ono ever painted the
blue sea and bluer sky with a more ADEQUATE
expression Of infinite distance.
In the Shepherd" Of Mr.. Amos, No. 6o2, We
come back to more familiar tyne of Millet
Here again We have o beautiful rich tone and
well characterized figure; but the peculiar
charm OF the picture lies In the distance to-
ward tho right whore winds q lovely bit OF
river.
sensier calls Millet's most beautiful works"
the "AnRelus." the "Gleaners." and Wait
ing" But with regard to the last Of tho three,
lew Will agree with him. Here It is, No, 57s,
loaned oT Mr.. seney 1t shows the figures Of
the blind Tobit and his wife looking for their
long-absent son. OF course It is dramatic. i'm
pressiVe. But the action Is 90 empha attic in the
figure OF the woman shading her eyes with her
hand and In tho snarling cat that the picture
lacks repose. The composition is little ayk-
ward and empty. too. and tho color a little
neavy and dull. Tho best feature is the Tobit
indeed a pathetic and moving conception.
Every one knows that Millet painted tho ia.
nous "sower" twice-once on o canvas he
thought rather small tnow owned by Mr.. shawl
and again In the example owned by Mr.. Van
derbilt But No. $40. lent by tho American Art
association, shows the same figure again, and
looks as though It had been the original study
Tor the larger work. The canvas is thinly
painted. though with great richness of color. |
Nothing In the room is finer than the harmony
OF gray ana red and dark and light blue in tho |
soWers dress. set against the deep brown OF tho |
naked hillside. The head and the movement |
OF the figure are admirably characterized, but
the limos are less noble than In the other YER |
sions. There grandeur OF pose and action are |
secured with no decrease In truth. This soyer
Is impressive. but the others are superb in
their dne rhythmic. almost classic force. Here.
too the lines OF the background are less beau |
uful' and two rather awkward oxen show |
against the sky In place OF tho effective group |
of man at the plough. Nevertheless were |
there no other "sower" we should see no lack |
In this one. and 1t deserves plaee among the |
best Millets whore all are good. Itwas bought |
from Nine. Mtllet two or three years ago. and |
was the last important work In her possession.
Another admirable picture is the large |
landscape mo. 608), called November" lent |
by Messrs. Boussod. Valadop d Co. Once moro |
we have slopinR field and @ very high horizon
line. The wide exDanse of ploughed ground
would have been monotonous under Q less
skilful hand. but here ia full OF interest and
suGgestiveness. and the naked trees against
the sky the little figure Of a sportsman with q
flashing gun. and the hurried movement of the
flock OF rising birds are thrown into admirable
relief by its simplicity In this canvas we
hardly know where the poetry lies. but we feel
It's presence. 1t Is interesting. perhaps. to note
that 1t proves that Mlllet painted the "SoWer'
not only three times but four. Seen In certain
lights figure quite like that in No. $40 may be
traced under the present composition.
Ono of the finest works of all is still to he
named-the "Buckwheat Threshers" tNo. B5l,
lent by Mr.. Shaw. 1t is remarkable In the first
place for the number Of the figures, several In
the foreground piling and carrying the grain.
while against the sky beyond we see circle
OF many men with uplifted fails and of many
helpers feeding their pile. Every detail OF this
canvas should be studied to learn what har-
mony In variety, what seemingly unstudied
balance in composition may mean. The way
In which the atmosphere laden with smoke
from burning brush heap is treated is like
wise mastery One cannot greatly regret that
this picture Is unfinished for 1t is very beauti-
full as 1t stands and complete in the sense OF
conveying the painters impression OF tho
scene. Nevertheless those who saw the ex-
quisite technical condolences of the "Glean-
ers !" in Paris and remember the. richness OF its
golden tone can divine how transcendent
might have been the beauty OF the "Thr0sh-
ers " had 1t been carried to a similar point
Among the drawings by Millet there is an In
tereBting study in crayon for the "Angelus"
mo. 693). one In pastel for the "Sower" mo
635). and a variant In crayon OF the "Sheepfold