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La Baratteuse

La Baratteuse
(La Baratteuse)
 1855

Medium
etching
Measurements
16.8 × 10.8 cm (image) 17.8 × 11.8 cm (plate) 22.6 × 16.0 cm (support)
Catalogue/s Raisonné
Delteil 10 iii
Edition
3rd state
Inscription
printed in ink (in image) l.c.: Impe (e in superscript) par Aug. Delâtre, Rue St (t in superscript) Jacque 171.
Accession Number
3651-3
Departments
International Prints / International Prints and Drawings
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1927
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of the Joe White Bequest
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work

Jean-François Millet celebrated the working and lower classes in his art by imbuing his subjects with great dignity and strength of character. This image shows a woman concentrating on the repetitive chore of churning butter, a mundane but necessary task. She is firmly focused on the task at hand, ignoring the persistent cat at her feet, who is hoping for spillage or a treat when the woman’s job is done. Of course, the attention of the cat should be on its own role, keeping mice from the bags of grain visible in the background.