The Winnower

Jean-François Millet's The Winnower of 1848 depicts a peasant separating grain from chaff using the ancient technique of throwing harvested grain into the air and letting the wind carry away the lighter material. Millet, born into a Norman peasant family, brought genuine first-hand knowledge to agricultural labor subjects that distinguished his work from purely picturesque rural painting. The Winnower was exhibited at the 1848 Salon just as revolution was transforming French politics, and its unpretentious dignity of labor carried implicit social content without explicit political statement.

Millet captures the dynamic motion of grain-winnowing with vigorous brushwork and a palette of warm earth tones. The figure's powerful physique and dramatic pose elevate the humble task to heroic proportions.