Artwork
Monsieur Martin
Monsieur Martin is an unspecified painting by the Realist artist Jean François Millet. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The piece is classified as a painting and was produced in France during the artist's early career.
Monsieur Martin is an oil painting created by Jean-François Millet in 1840. Executed on a canvas support, the work measures 46 cm in height and 38 cm in width. The piece is classified as a painting and was produced in France during the artist's early career.
Currently held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, the work represents a specific moment in Millet's stylistic development prior to his mature period of peasant realism.
History & Provenance
Monsieur Martin is a painting created in 1840 by Jean-François Millet, depicting a portrait of an individual named Monsieur Martin. The work was produced in France and measures 46.0 cm in height by 38.0 cm in width. It entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains on display.
The painting's creation history is tied to Millet's early portraiture period, reflecting his focus on individual characterization during the mid-19th century.
Monsieur Martin is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Its accession number is 1980.270. The painting was created in 1840 in France, and measures 46.0 cm in height by 38.0 cm in width.
No exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Overview
Created in 1840 by French painter Jean‑François Millet, Monsieur Martin belongs to the Realist current that emerged in the mid‑nineteenth century. Millet, a founding member of the Barbizon circle, is noted for his focus on ordinary, rural figures, and this portrait continues his interest in depicting everyday people with directness and restraint.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a young man dressed in a dark coat trimmed with a white collar. His expression is sober, the light catching the contour of his cheek while a faint shadow rests beneath his eyes. The plain, dark background isolates the figure, emphasizing his individuality and the quiet dignity of a common individual.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-François Millet (French pronunciation:; 4 October 1814 – 20 January 1875) was a French painter and one of the founders of the Barbizon school in rural France.
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