Episode 2: Knitting in Art, and Art in Knitting

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Jean Francois Millet was an artist obsessed with ensuring that the daily lives of the peasantry, especially farm workers, were depicted in his work. Although “village life” had been documented in art prior to this period, Millet’s work set itself apart by depicting the rigorous toll of farm life that plagued the proletariat. At the time, this was thought of as a deep departure from the norm with regard to subject matter.

Part of what he documented as an artist just happened to be handcraft, as this played a significant role in the daily lives of the peasantry. Knitting, spinning, sewing and the like were deemed “work” for the commoners. Conversely, knitting was considered a leisure activity for the aristocracy.

Jean-François Millet, Self-Portrait, 1840–1841; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Source: WikiArt

St. Louis Art Museum Resources

Millet & Modern Art Exhibit Summary

Millet & Modern Art Audio Tour

The focus of this exhibit featured the influence that Millet had on many prominent artists, to include Van Gogh, Monet, Seurat, Dali, Sargent, Cassatt, and others.

On the left is Millet’s *The Plain of Chailly with Harrow and Plough*, and on the right, Vincent Van Gogh’s *Snow-Covered Field with a Harrow,* his own interpretation of this work. Van Gogh was especially taken by Millet. [Photo Credit | Jenn Rein]

The Millet and Modern Art exhibit curated by the Saint Louis Art Museum and the Van Gogh Museum feature a handful of paintings that portray knitting and spinning.

Left: *Knitting Shepherdess* – Center: *The Knitting Lesson* – Right: *Woman Spinning*
[Photo Credit | Jenn Rein]

The hands of Millet’s peasants are dirty, and their faces tan. Harsh critics of Millet deemed his subject matter unacceptable compared to an aesthetic established in Romanticism. Millet did in fact work within the genre of Romanticism prior to his work in Realism.

Although it is not fully known how often Millet worked on model, his wife Catherine Lemaire, and his six-year-old daughter, Marguerite, sat for The Knitting Lesson. His models, in this case, caused controversy due to their working class appearance.

Millet considered *Harvesters Resting* to be one of his most significant achievements. He produced more than 50 studies for this piece. [Photo Credit | Jenn Rein]

Harvesters Resting won a Second Class medal at the 1853 Salon, the only award ever bestowed on Millet. He always had his detractors. Even at this show, and of this work, critic Paul de Saint-Victor said, “these paupers don’t touch me…It disgusts me to see Ruth and Naomi surveying Boaz’s field as if on stage in a theatre.”

This critic refers to the fact that the artist originally intended to base the painting on the Biblical story of Ruth. Millet took a risk and morphed the theme to suit his passion. He chose to feature a true social interaction among field hands. Yet again, this was not considered by some to be a worthy subject.

The Handcraft as Art

Ladies Fancywork Society | Denver, Colorado

The Ladies Fancywork Society of Denver practices large scale yarn bombing, as depicted below, taking it to an extraordinary level.

Image sourced from Ladies Fancywork Society at ladiesfancyworksociety.com

Ben Cuevas | Los Angeles, California

Ben Cuevas, a multidisciplinary artist based out of Los Angeles, brings his knitting sculpture into the realm of anatomy and science.

Image sourced from Ben Cuevas Art at bencuevas.com

Haegue Yang | South Korea

Haegue Yang works with a great deal more than just fiber. Her art integrates lighting, plastics, metal, and other surprising textile choices. Read about her work at imrevolting.net, and dig deeper into her compositions at the kurimanzutto site.