Landscape, Vichy 1861 - 1872

Jean-François Millet created this drawing called 'Landscape, Vichy' using pen and brown ink with blue wash on paper. The composition is dominated by horizontal bands of landscape elements rendered with a concentration of layered lines. The density of strokes creates an almost tactile experience, drawing us into the scene. Millet uses line and wash to define forms, but also to create movement and texture. Notice how the strokes vary in direction and intensity, giving the impression of wind rustling through the trees, or water running through the stream. This piece has a semiotic function too: a network of marks signifies ‘landscape,’ yet destabilises our understanding of the division between the visible and the representational. It invites the viewer to consider landscape not only as a subject but also as a concept. The seemingly simple drawing embodies a larger discourse about the representation of nature. Millet's formal approach encourages us to see beyond the surface and consider the multiple layers of meaning embedded within the structure of the artwork.