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Liberty
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<em>Liberty</em> relates to Jean-François Millet's entrance into the 1848 competition for an official painted figure representing the second French Republic. Millet did not win the competition and his painted <em>Republic</em> no longer exists, but this representation of a related concept—liberty—was inspired by his contest participation. He also drew allegories of the other two fundamental concepts in French Republicanism: equality and fraternity.
| Artist / Maker | Jean-François Millet |
|---|---|
| Date | 1848–49 |
| Culture / Origin | France, 19th century |
| Medium | black chalk and pastel |
| Dimensions | Sheet: 47.2 x 31.7 cm (18 9/16 x 12 1/2 in.) |
| Department | Drawings |
| Type | Drawing |
About the Artist
Son of a wealthy farmer, Jean-François Millet studied with a portrait painter from Cherbourg, Bon du Mouchel (1807-1846), himself a student of David (q.v.). Mouchel required his young apprentice to copy paintings in the museum in Cherbourg, where Millet had been sent to enter the studio of Lucien-Théophile Langlois (1803-1845), a former student of Gros (q.v.). Millet received a stipend from the city to move to Paris in 1837, enrolling in the École des Beaux-Arts in the studio of Delaroche… Full biography →
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
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