The young shepherdess sits in peaceful contemplation, distracted from her grazing sheep. Her turning pose appears almost like a classical sculpture but is made realistic by her simple clothes, tanned skin and large work-worn hands. Millet’s paintings changed the role of rural workers in art, focussing on the rigours of peasant labour, making them appear independent and often iconic.

This work is currently on display:

Gallery 11

National Museum Cardiff, level 4

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