The Newborn

Jean-François Millet made this drawing of charcoal on blue laid paper, likely in France sometime in the mid-19th century. It shows two men carrying a calf on a stretcher. During this period, France was undergoing rapid industrialization which caused significant social upheaval and displaced many rural workers. Millet was well known for representing the lives of peasants and rural laborers with great dignity. This work offers an unsentimental view of rural life, depicting a mundane task involving animals. The sketch may be viewed as a commentary on changing social structures, as the rural way of life became increasingly challenged by urban and industrial developments. Through careful consideration of the artist's biography, as well as the social and political context of the era, we can better understand the cultural relevance of the artwork. Art history benefits from interdisciplinary research methods to situate the work in the context of the artist's life.