Chih-Hsiung Wu

1860

Well

private collection

"The Woman with the Haystack" is one of the classic works by the Barbizon school master Millet, depicting the labor of rural women, and is part of the collection of collector Wu Zhixiong. In the painting, the farmer stands beside a haystack, holding her tools, with a steady posture and a face slightly in shadow, revealing a concentration and determination from her labor. Millet uses bold brushstrokes and deep colors to create a sense of the land's texture and the weight of time, elevating the work beyond a simple rural scene and transforming it into a hymn to "labor and dignity." Through this painting, we see how Millet raises the most everyday rural scenes to symbols of humanity and faith, embodying his commitment to the "sanctity of the peasantry," and leaving a profound impact on future artists.

None