File:Jean François Millet; a collection of fifteen pictures and a portrait of the painter, with introduction and interpretation (1900) (14577650019).jpg

Identifier: jeanfranoismille00hurl (find matches)
Title: Jean François Millet; a collection of fifteen pictures and a portrait of the painter, with introduction and interpretation
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors: Hurll, Estelle M. (Estelle May), 1863-1924
Subjects: Millet, Jean François, 1814-1875
Publisher: Boston, New York : Houghton, Mifflin and co.
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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sabout the feet. The gleaners are three women ofthe poorer peasant class. They are tidily dressedin their coarse working clothes, and wear kerchiefstied over their heads, with the edge projecting alittle over the forehead to shade the eyes. Thedresses are cut rather low in the neck, for theirs iswarm work. They make their way through the coarse stubble,as sharp as needles, gathering here and there astray ear of the precious wheat. Already theyhave collected enough to make several little bundles,tied neatly, and piled together on the ground at oneside. As we look at them closely we see that they repre-sent the three ages of womanhood: there is amaiden, a matron, and an old woman. The near-est figure, standing at the right, is the eldest of thethree. She cannot bear the strain of stooping longat a time, and bends stiffly and painfully to hertask. Next her is a solidly built woman, with squarefigure and a broad back capable of bearing heavyburdens. Those strong large hands have done hard
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THE GLEANERS 71 work. The third figure is that of a young womanwith a lithe, girlish form. With a girls thoughtfor appearance she has pinned her kerchief so thatthe ends at the back form a little cape to shield herneck from the burning sun. Unlike her compan-ions, she wears no apron. While the others use theiraprons doubled up to form sacks for their gleanings,she holds her grain in her hand. If you will try in turn each one of the positionstaken by the several figures, you will see how dif-ferently the three work. The two who put thegrain in the apron, or pass it into the hand whichrests on the knee, must every time lift themselvesup with an awkward backward motion. The youngergleaner has found a short and direct route from onehand to the other, by resting the left hand, palm up,upon the back, where the right can reach it by asimple upward motion of the arm which requiresno exertion of the body. Her method saves thestrength and is more graceful. Moving forward in the stooping posture

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