Jean-Francois Millet Sheet of Studies of Peasants. Pen and ink on grayish wove paper, 1867 205x156 mm; One of the studies titled Le Glaneuse in ink. There are 4 studies: a woman baling hay, a woman gleaning, a woman seated and a man resting on a

Jean-Francois Millet Sheet of Studies of Peasants. Pen and ink on grayish wove paper, 1867 205x156 mm; One of the studies titled Le Glaneuse in ink. There are 4 studies: a woman baling hay, a woman gleaning, a woman seated and a man resting on a shovel, with a sketch of 4 birds lower right. With a letter on the verso signed "J. F. Millet, Barbizon 22 Decembre 1867" in pen and ink. Several short vertical edge tears lower right. The drawings on the recto refer directly to several of Millet's most important paintings and etchings The drawing titled Le Claneuse represents the same figure as in the etching of 1855 Delteil 12 Millet made several similar prints of the man resting on the shovel, notably Delteil 2, 3 and 31 The year in which the present work was executed was a watershed period for Millet during which his submissions to the Salon were widely accepted and praised. The following year was admitted to the Legion d'Honneur. In the letter to an unidentified recipient, Millet discusses his continued desire to remain working and producing prints in the Barbizon countryside. ends with a promise to safeguard his current life style, which describes: "je me considerarai comme ayant la bonne part."