Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-05-29
Jean F. Millet's Birthplace
Bought BY American Painter

I son made him eager to advance littla
Francois by laying a good foundation
for an education; therefore, the boys
studies We're pushed very far for n
peasants son, His regular work in the
field filled most of his time in his early
years, but it did not interfere with his
taking up Latin, SO we see him at the
age of II beginning the study of that
language. So enthusiastic did he be.
come that it was not long before. he
took up the Bible in Latin which Wa;
later followed by the study of Virgil.
These wv books We're his most beloved
and We're his joy and delight until the
end.
BY his persistency. his intelligence
and his s~tudiousness he was developing
his character and strengthening his
mind, the force OF which was felt in
his works In later years. BY the time
he was Is the artistic element began
to assert itself. After the days work
in the field, exhausted perhaps from the
heat of the sun aud the toll Of plough
ing the stubborn soil. he remained out.
OF bed long after the others had retired
Ito sketch and think. He was no.
Particular about his subject, nothing
was unworthy of his pencil-a chair. a
lamp, a portion of the room-anythine
that first caught his attention. Such
was the beginning OF what. later devel-
opSN ilto GENIUS. .f4.L la t-la.
DAWN OF PERSPECTIVE.
One day on returning from mass he
noticed a peasant. an old man with
STOPPING figure, n was astonished at
the perspective. 1t came to him as
KIND of q revelation fastening home
he made a charcoal sketch. His father
seeing it was profoundly moved and
said:
My poor Francois, / see we'll that
You are tormented by this idea. / would
have gladly sent you to learn this pro-
fesslon of painter, which they say is
fne, but | could not. You are the old
est of my boys and / had much need of
YOU, but now the others are growing up5
and / shall not hinder you from learn
ing that which you so desire to know.
We VIII presently go to Cherbourg and
ascertain whether YOU really have the
talent to gain your living in this oc-
cupation."
The momentous day arrived. Father
and son started for C%herbourg with two
sketches. One was a scene Of n hill
slope on which were w shepherds and
some sheep, one shepherd was PLAYING
n flute and the other was listening.
Their dress was most characteristic,
the jacket and the sabots or wooden
shoes silently proclaiming their calling.
The second represented n starry night
with a man coming out of a house
holding in his arms some bread which
a second figure received. Fearful, vet
hopeful. Francois and his father knock
led at the eminent painters atelier door.
The artist looked perpleXedly at tho
two men in their rough, peasant cos
tune and wondered why they sought
him. Timidly and hesitat;ngly did
Francois unfold his drawings and lay
them before the master. Monchel, the
artist, whose opinion they desired. eX-
arlined the sketches and pronounced
them as being full of merit. On being
Informed by the father that it was tile
work of his son.. the master looked dubi-g
Gus and showed by his actions that
he d.sbelieved the story told by the
two farmers. When finally convinced
after their repeated protestations he ex-
claimed, We'll. then! You should be
punished for having kept this boy with
YOU so long, for he has the making Of
a great artist
That was the turning point in the
boys life. His father made
ments Immediately for his son to enter
the atelier " the artist, whom his
friends called Monchel but whose name
in reality was Bon Dumonchel. That
vas in 1882. After three years absence.
in which his studies had been pursued
with ardor and earnestness. he was re-
called to Gruchy by the death of his
father. BY this time the cuiet life at
home without his soul absorbing work,
filled him with restlessness and uneasi-
ness. so hat his longing to return to
Cherbourg shortened his visit to a few
weeks. This "A destined to be his
last s~ojourn in the old Gruchy home
for. many years to- come.
During the winter of 1871. Millet,
lConttnued on age fourteen,1