Jean-François Millet
The Gleaners
1849-1859
Physical Qualities
Black conté crayon with traces of red chalk on paper, Sheet: 200 × 291 mm. (7 7/8 × 11 7/16 in.)
Credit Line
The George A. Lucas Collection, purchased with funds from the State of Maryland, Laurence and Stella Bendann Fund, and contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations throughout the Baltimore community
Object Number
1996.48.18686
Gleaning comes at the end of the harvest. After most of
the crop is gathered, laborers canvass the field again to
collect the remnants. Historically performed by children,
the elderly, and women, gleaning in 19th-century France was
restricted by law to the poorest women and those unable
to do other labor. Farmers often used gleaned wheat to
augment their workers’ wages and so resisted this practice,
sometimes violently.
Jean-François Millet made several works related to this
subject, culminating in a monumental painting. That
work was not immediately popular, as critics found its
representation of poverty too confrontational.
The Baltimore Museum of Art by purchase, 1996; The Maryland Institute College of Art,
through Henry Walters, Baltimore, by bequest 1909; from George A. Lucas, Paris
through Henry Walters, Baltimore, by bequest 1909; from George A. Lucas, Paris
The Maryland Institute, Baltimore, 'Paintings, Bronzes and Porcelains from the Collection of George A. Lucas', 1911, p. 44, no. 210.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, 'French Drawings', May 1934.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, 'A Century of Baltimore Collecting, 1840-1940,' June 6-Sept. 1, 1941, p. 113.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, 'From Ingres to Gauguin', Nov.-Dec. 1951, p. 24, no. 51.
Lorenz Eitner, University of Minnesota Gallery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 'The Nineteenth Century: 125 Master Drawings', March 26-April 23, 1962, no. 82; circulated to the Soloman R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, May 10-June 30, 1962.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, 'Drawings and Prints from the School of Barbizon', April-June 1964.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, 'The George A. Lucas Collection', Oct. 12-Nov. 21, 1965, p. 67, no. 336.
Shepherd Gallery, New York, 'The Forest of Fontainbleau: Refuge of Reality', April 21-June 10, 1972, no. 50.
Shepherd Gallery, Associates, New York, NY, "The Forest of Fontainebleau: Refuge of Reality," Apr. 21 - June 10, 1972.
Utah Museum of Fine Arts of the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, "Social Concern and the Worker: French Prints from 1830-1910," Jan. 13 - Feb. 17, 1974; circulated to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH, Mar. 12 - May 12, 1974; circulated to Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, IN, June 11 - July 28, 1974.
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, no. 18, ill. p. 20, Paris, Grand Palais, Jean-François Millet', Oct. 17, 1975-Jan. 6, 1976, no. 106, ill. p. 149; circulated to Hayward Gallery, London, Jan. 20-March 7, 1976.
Mme. Irene Bizot, Ministere des Musees Nationaux, Palais du Louvre, Paris, France, "Jean Francois Millet," Oct. 1 - Jan. 5, 1976.
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, MN, "Millet's Gleaners," Apr. 2 - June 4, 1978.
Victor Carlson and Carol Hynning Smith, BMA, "Master Drawings and Watercolors of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries"; circulated by the American Federation of Arts to the Guggenheim Museum, NY, 24 August - 7 October 1979; Des Moines Art Center, 19 November 1979 - 6 January 1980; Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, 8 February - 16 March, 1980; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1 May - 22 June 1980 ; Denver Art Museum, 12 July - 24 August, 1980.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Master Drawings and Watercolors of the 19th and 20th Centuries from the Museum Collection," 14 October - 28 November, 1982.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, 'Master Drawings by French Artists in the Museum's Collection', May 14-July 23, 1989.
Jay Fisher, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "A Continuing Example: Prints and Drawings from the George A. Lucas Collection," 4 February - 9 April 1995.
Alexandra Murphy, Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art, 'Return to Nature: Millet, the Barbizon Artists and the Renewal of the Rural Tradition', Sept. 26-Dec. 8, 1998, p. 181, no. III-8.
Alexandra Murphy, Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Mass., 'Jean-François Millet: Drawn into the Light', June 20-Sept. 7, 1999, p. 73, no. 41, ill. p. 74; circulated to The Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, Oct. 26, 1999-Jan. 5, 2000; The Frick Art Museum and Historical Center, Pittsburgh, Penn., Feb. 10-Apr. 23, 2000.
Sona K. Johnson, BMA, Baltimore, "Barbizon and Impressionist Works from The Baltimore Museum of Art," circulated by Brain Trust to Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art, January 11-February 16, 2003; Sakura City Museum of Art, Chiba, February 27-March 30, 2003; Okazaki City Museum, April 5-May 18, 2003; Suntory Museum, Osaka, May 24-July 6, 2003; Miyazaki Prefectural Museum, July 12-August 17, 2003.
Jay McKean Fisher, William R. Johnston and Cheryl K. Snay, 'The Essence of Line: French Drawings from Ingres to Degas,' organized by The Walters Art Museum and The Baltimore Museum of Art, circulated to The Walters Art Museum June 19, 2005 - September 11, 2005, The Birmingham Museum of Art February 9, 2006 - May 4, 2006, Tacoma Art Museum June 9, 2006 - September 7, 2006.
Joanna Karlgaard and Robin Owen Joyce, BMA, "Deconstructing Nature: Environmental Transformation in the Lucas Collection," August 27, 2025 - January 11, 2026.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, 'French Drawings', May 1934.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, 'A Century of Baltimore Collecting, 1840-1940,' June 6-Sept. 1, 1941, p. 113.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, 'From Ingres to Gauguin', Nov.-Dec. 1951, p. 24, no. 51.
Lorenz Eitner, University of Minnesota Gallery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 'The Nineteenth Century: 125 Master Drawings', March 26-April 23, 1962, no. 82; circulated to the Soloman R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, May 10-June 30, 1962.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, 'Drawings and Prints from the School of Barbizon', April-June 1964.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, 'The George A. Lucas Collection', Oct. 12-Nov. 21, 1965, p. 67, no. 336.
Shepherd Gallery, New York, 'The Forest of Fontainbleau: Refuge of Reality', April 21-June 10, 1972, no. 50.
Shepherd Gallery, Associates, New York, NY, "The Forest of Fontainebleau: Refuge of Reality," Apr. 21 - June 10, 1972.
Utah Museum of Fine Arts of the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, "Social Concern and the Worker: French Prints from 1830-1910," Jan. 13 - Feb. 17, 1974; circulated to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH, Mar. 12 - May 12, 1974; circulated to Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, IN, June 11 - July 28, 1974.
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, no. 18, ill. p. 20, Paris, Grand Palais, Jean-François Millet', Oct. 17, 1975-Jan. 6, 1976, no. 106, ill. p. 149; circulated to Hayward Gallery, London, Jan. 20-March 7, 1976.
Mme. Irene Bizot, Ministere des Musees Nationaux, Palais du Louvre, Paris, France, "Jean Francois Millet," Oct. 1 - Jan. 5, 1976.
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, MN, "Millet's Gleaners," Apr. 2 - June 4, 1978.
Victor Carlson and Carol Hynning Smith, BMA, "Master Drawings and Watercolors of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries"; circulated by the American Federation of Arts to the Guggenheim Museum, NY, 24 August - 7 October 1979; Des Moines Art Center, 19 November 1979 - 6 January 1980; Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, 8 February - 16 March, 1980; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1 May - 22 June 1980 ; Denver Art Museum, 12 July - 24 August, 1980.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Master Drawings and Watercolors of the 19th and 20th Centuries from the Museum Collection," 14 October - 28 November, 1982.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, 'Master Drawings by French Artists in the Museum's Collection', May 14-July 23, 1989.
Jay Fisher, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "A Continuing Example: Prints and Drawings from the George A. Lucas Collection," 4 February - 9 April 1995.
Alexandra Murphy, Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art, 'Return to Nature: Millet, the Barbizon Artists and the Renewal of the Rural Tradition', Sept. 26-Dec. 8, 1998, p. 181, no. III-8.
Alexandra Murphy, Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Mass., 'Jean-François Millet: Drawn into the Light', June 20-Sept. 7, 1999, p. 73, no. 41, ill. p. 74; circulated to The Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, Oct. 26, 1999-Jan. 5, 2000; The Frick Art Museum and Historical Center, Pittsburgh, Penn., Feb. 10-Apr. 23, 2000.
Sona K. Johnson, BMA, Baltimore, "Barbizon and Impressionist Works from The Baltimore Museum of Art," circulated by Brain Trust to Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art, January 11-February 16, 2003; Sakura City Museum of Art, Chiba, February 27-March 30, 2003; Okazaki City Museum, April 5-May 18, 2003; Suntory Museum, Osaka, May 24-July 6, 2003; Miyazaki Prefectural Museum, July 12-August 17, 2003.
Jay McKean Fisher, William R. Johnston and Cheryl K. Snay, 'The Essence of Line: French Drawings from Ingres to Degas,' organized by The Walters Art Museum and The Baltimore Museum of Art, circulated to The Walters Art Museum June 19, 2005 - September 11, 2005, The Birmingham Museum of Art February 9, 2006 - May 4, 2006, Tacoma Art Museum June 9, 2006 - September 7, 2006.
Joanna Karlgaard and Robin Owen Joyce, BMA, "Deconstructing Nature: Environmental Transformation in the Lucas Collection," August 27, 2025 - January 11, 2026.
Gregory Hedberg, 'J.-F. Millet's The Gleaners', Nineteenth Century IV (Summer 1978), no. 7, p. 80.
Revue de l'art, 14 (1971), p. 101, fig. 12.
Stephen Eisenman, 'Exhibition Review, Jean-François Millet: Drawn into the Light', Historians of Nineteenth Century Art Newsletter, 6:2 (1999), ill. p. 4. Posted to website: www.museumserver.nl/museumkrant/editie28/pag7.htm
Cheryl Snay, 'Acquiring Minds: The Early Patrons of Nineteenth-Century French Drawings in Baltimore,' Master Drawings 42:1 (Spring 2004); ill. p. 72.
Sona K. Johnson et al, "Barbizon and Impressionist Works from The Baltimore Museum of Art," Tokyo: "Barbizon and Impressionist Works from The Baltimore Museum of Art" catalogue committee, 2003, no. 47, p. 78, ill.
Fisher, Jay McKean, et al. The Essence of Line: French drawings from Ingres to Degas. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2005, p. 296-97, ill.
Carlson, Victor, and Carol Hynning Smith. Master Drawings and Watercolors of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries: The Baltimore Museum of Art. New York, NY: The American Federation of Arts, 1979, pp. 39, ill.
Inscribed: RECTO: LL, black stamp, 'J.F.M.' [Lugt 1460]; VERSO: BLC, graphite, 'No 96'; LRQ, black stamp, 'Vente / Millet' [Lugt Suppl. 1816a].
