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Source Description
Despite the modest size of this painting, Millet has imparted a sense of grandeur and monumentality to the woman. Using ancient methods, she pulverizes sheaves of flax to separate the fibers for making linen. Although the artist appears to remain objective in his treatment of the toiling peasants, his picture reflects a concern for the plight of the rural working classes that emerged in French society following the Revolution of 1848, in which the monarchy of Louis-Philippe was overthrown.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
10990
label
Breaking Flax
core
obj
dtoType
drawing
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
10990
sourceUrl
contentType
drawing
stage
normalized
title
Breaking Flax
description
Despite the modest size of this painting, Millet has imparted a sense of grandeur and monumentality to the woman. Using ancient methods, she pulverizes sheaves of flax to separate the fibers for making linen. Although the artist appears to remain objective in his treatment of the toiling peasants, his picture reflects a concern for the plight of the rural working classes that emerged in French society following the Revolution of 1848, in which the monarchy of Louis-Philippe was overthrown.
provenance
Sensier, February 1851, by purchase [from the artist, see E. Moreau-Nelaton, 1:92]; Henry Wallis, London [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; William T. Walters, Baltimore, prior to 1878, by purchase [from Wallis]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1894, by inheritance; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
1850-1851
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Painting & Drawing
oil paintings (visual works)
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
45.8
height
37.2
dimensionsRaw
H: 18 1/16 x W: 14 5/8 in. (45.8 x 37.2 cm); Framed H: 30 1/2 x W: 27 1/4 x D: 5 1/4 in. (77.5 x 69.2 x 13.3 cm)
Source extras
inscriptions
[Signature] In dark brown at lower right: J.F. Millet
med
oil on canvas
creator_ids
6410
collection_ids
EAN
exhibition_ids
2159
2329
2330
631
3020
2297
3300
3818
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
e8d8c0f64f7940a0