The Angelus by Jean-François Millet (Interpretation and Analysis)
The Angelus Source: Wikimedia Commons As we all prepare for Thanksgiving tomorrow (if you live in the US and celebrate it, that is), I thought I’d share a painting that reminds me to be grateful for all the blessings in life. The Angelus is one of the most recognizable and moving piece of art in Western history. It was created by Jean-François Millet, one of the leading painters of the Realist movement in France. The Realists rejected the drama and overwrought emotion of the Romantic movement, choosing instead to portray the unglamorous trials and tribulations of ordinary life. Millet was particularly interested in rural life and created many paintings of farmers, their lives, and the countryside. However, The Angelus is, without a doubt, his most famous painting. The piece portrays two farmers engaged in digging potatoes. They have paused in their work and stand with their heads bent in prayer. In the background, the fields stretch away towards a sky streaked with bright clouds. Acc...