The Seaweed Gatherers c. 1847

Jean-François Millet created this etching called, *The Seaweed Gatherers*. Millet lived in a time of significant social change. As industrialization transformed French society, artists increasingly turned their attention to the lives of the working class. Millet, known for his empathetic portrayals of rural laborers, here depicts figures engaged in the arduous task of collecting seaweed, likely for use as fertilizer. The figures are stooped and weathered, their forms rendered with a rough, almost gestural quality, which serves to emphasize the physical demands of their labor. There's an emotional depth in Millet's dedication to representing those often overlooked, offering us a glimpse into their daily struggles. Consider the way Millet's work challenges the traditional artistic focus on idealized or heroic subjects. He brings visibility to the lives and labor of those who sustained the economic engine of his time. "I am a peasant and nothing more," Millet said. This print invites us to reflect on the dignity of labor and the human condition.