Artwork
The Sheepfold, Moonlight
The Sheepfold, Moonlight is an oil painting by the Barbizon school artist Jean François Millet. It dates from 1858 and is held in the collection of the Walters Art Museum.
About this work
Overview
The Sheepfold, Moonlight is an oil painting created by Jean-François Millet in 1858. It is a landscape that showcases the artist's ability to capture the serene beauty of a rural scene under the light of a full moon.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a flock of sheep gathered in a fenced enclosure, with a figure, possibly a shepherd, standing nearby. The scene is set against a hazy, dark landscape with a distant building or barn, evoking a sense of rural tranquility.
Technique & Style
Millet's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth and atmosphere, with the moonlight casting long shadows across the landscape. The textures of the sheep's coats and the rough-hewn fence are rendered in detail, demonstrating the artist's skill.
History & Provenance
The Sheepfold, Moonlight is part of the Walters Art Museum's collection. It reflects the Barbizon school's focus on rural scenes and natural light, a style associated with Millet, a founder of the movement.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-François Millet (French pronunciation: ; 4 October 1814 – 20 January 1875) was a French painter and one of the founders of the Barbizon school in rural France.
Going to Market on a Misty Morning
Evening Scene with Sheep on a Mound
The Crossing over the Little Belt at Snoghøj. Moonrise
The Crossing over the Little Belt at Snoghøj. Moonrise
Un redil de ovejas extramuros de la puerta de Bilbao de Madrid
The Flock
En fåreflok. Motivet fra Faxingeskoven ved Nysø
Sunset