Stories Pictures Tell Book Four

Excerpt

THE SOWER

Questions to arouse interest. What is this man doing? Why do you think so? What does he carry over his shoulder? in his bag? How does he sow the grain? What will be the result of his work? How do you think the grain will be covered? What can you see in the background? Do you think the oxen are plowing the field or covering the grain? why? What time of the day is it? What can you see in this picture to indicate that the man has been working a long time? How is he dressed? How does he wear his hat? What kind of boots is he wearing? What makes you think the ground is soft? Is the man standing still, or walking? Why do you think so? Where does he seem to be looking? Why do you think he looks ahead? What is the cause of the glow in the sky behind him? What do you think are the colors in the sky? the colors in the field? What time of the year is it? in what country? What do you like best about this picture?

Original Picture: Vanderbilt Collection, Metropolitan Museum, New York.
Artist: Jean François Millet (mÄ“´lÄ•´´).
Birthplace: Gruchy, France.
Dates: Born, 1814; died, 1875.

The story of the picture. In this picture Millet has tried to tell us only a few important facts about the man and his work. It is easy to see that he is sowing grain broadcast over the field. The shadows creeping over ground and sky tell us that night is fast approaching. He seems intent upon finishing that last stretch of field before dark, and his steady, rhythmic swing shows none of the physical weariness he must feel.

When we think of the life of this sturdy French peasant, as the artist surely intended we should, we realize the patience and perseverance required in the monotonous day's work, and we are forced to a feeling of respect and admiration for him.

In these days with what ease and skill the same task is performed by the aid of machinery! Riding on the seat of a machine which drills the seed into the ground and covers it up, the man would have found the simple task of guiding his horses a very pleasant one indeed. As he walks along so energetically, his eyes are probably fixed on some stake at the end of the field to guide him as he travels back and forth, sowing the grain.

No doubt he used a team of oxen to plow and harrow the ground before he sowed the seed. We have no way of knowing just what kind of a harrow he had, but very likely it was one made of brush or branches of trees. We can see a team of oxen and a driver in the distance, who seem to be following in the tracks of our sower and covering up the seeds he is sowing.

The artist, Millet, knew all about such work, for he himself had worked out in the fields through the long day. He tells us that his "ancestors were peasants and he was born a peasant."

No doubt the man in our picture started out on his day's work long before the sun was up. His first task, after eating his breakfast and feeding his oxen, was to yoke the oxen ready for the journey to the field where their work was to be done. No doubt the man has been working steadily ever since, for he does not look like a man who would stop to rest very many times....