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Calling the Cows Home

ca. 1872
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 802
Millet mentioned this painting in a letter of August 1872 to his friend and biographer, Alfred Sensier: "I've groaned more than I've worked, since I've done hardly anything but a sketch. You know the subject, a cowherd sounding his horn to collect his cattle at the end of the day." Millet had treated this subject in a charcoal drawing of 1857–58 and a pastel of 1866.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Calling the Cows Home
  • Artist: Jean-François Millet (French, Gruchy 1814–1875 Barbizon)
  • Date: ca. 1872
  • Medium: Oil on wood
  • Dimensions: 37 1/4 x 25 1/2 in. (94.6 x 64.8 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Arthur Whitney, 1950
  • Object Number: 50.151
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

More Artwork

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A Young Man Seated, Bent over a Reclining Figure, Jean-François Millet French, Red chalk with stumping on laid paper
A Young Man Seated, Bent over a Reclining Figure
Jean-François Millet
ca. 1845–50
Shepherd and His Flock, Jean-François Millet French, Pastel on papier bleuté
Shepherd and His Flock
Jean-François Millet
late 19th century
Digger, Jean-François Millet French, Woodcut on laid paper; second (final) state; posthumous edition
Digger
Jean-François Millet
1863
Proof from a block of sketches, Jean-François Millet French, Woodcut on china paper, laid down on card; second (final) state; posthumous impression
Proof from a block of sketches
Jean-François Millet
1834–75
Digger, Jean-François Millet French, Woodcut in brown ink on laid paper; second (final) state; posthumous impression
Digger
Jean-François Millet
1863

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