Fine Art Poster
From $120
A giclée print on 200gsm matte fine art paper, using a twelve-colour process for accurate, fade-resistant colour. Supplied unframed, delivered flat or rolled.
Death and the Woodcutter - Jean-François Millet
Regular price
$120.00 NZD
Sale price
$120.00 NZD
Regular price
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
Secure checkout
Made to order
Description
A sombre depiction of an exhausted woodcutter encountering Death, painted by the French Realist Jean-François Millet in 1859.
Jean-François Millet, a central figure of the Barbizon school, produced this work during a period when he focused on the hardships of rural life. The composition draws from the fable by Jean de La Fontaine, in which an elderly woodcutter, exhausted by his labour and the weight of his burden, calls upon Death to end his suffering. When Death appears, the woodcutter is terrified and begs for more time. Millet depicts the woodcutter in a state of physical collapse, his body hunched over a bundle of sticks. The figure of Death, rendered as a skeletal form draped in a shroud, looms over him with a scythe. The artist employs a sombre, earthy palette to convey the grim reality of the peasant experience. The lighting is dramatic, casting deep shadows that obscure the background and focus the viewer on the interaction between the two figures. Unlike many of his contemporaries who painted idyllic scenes of the countryside, Millet chose to represent the struggle and fatigue inherent in manual labour. The painting avoids sentimentality, opting instead for a stark portrayal of mortality. The texture of the paint and the muted tones contribute to the heavy atmosphere of the scene. This work remains a significant example of how Millet used traditional literary themes to comment on the social conditions of his time, specifically the relentless toil of the working class in nineteenth-century France.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Complete The Look
Death and the Woodcutter - Jean-François Millet
Regular price
From $120.00 NZD
Sale price
From $120.00 NZD
Regular price
Fine Art Poster / Small Square (30x30 cm) / -
Artist Biography
Jean Francois Millet
Millet could plough a field in the morning, paint in the afternoon, and recite Shakespeare at night. He was the eldest son of farming parents in Gruchy, Normandy, near the coast, and he said: a peasant I was born, a peasant I will die.
Two village priests educated him in Latin and literature before he was pulled back to farm work. He eventually reached Paris, where he lived in poverty for a period, painting in a damp cellar. His first wife died of tuberculosis three years after their 1841 marriage. He later had nine children with Catherine Lemaire.
The Gleaners (1857) and The Angelus (1857-59) made him famous and controversial. Both depict peasants at work with a dignity that unnerved the bourgeoisie, who saw political radicalism in the simple act of painting agricultural labourers as worthy subjects. The Angelus became one of the most widely reproduced images in the world.
Van Gogh was obsessed with him. While in the asylum at Saint-Remy in late 1889 and early 1890, Van Gogh made twenty-one copies of Millet's paintings over three months, translating them into his own colour and brushwork. Millet died in 1875, co-founder of the Barbizon school and the painter who gave peasant life a permanent place in art.
Two village priests educated him in Latin and literature before he was pulled back to farm work. He eventually reached Paris, where he lived in poverty for a period, painting in a damp cellar. His first wife died of tuberculosis three years after their 1841 marriage. He later had nine children with Catherine Lemaire.
The Gleaners (1857) and The Angelus (1857-59) made him famous and controversial. Both depict peasants at work with a dignity that unnerved the bourgeoisie, who saw political radicalism in the simple act of painting agricultural labourers as worthy subjects. The Angelus became one of the most widely reproduced images in the world.
Van Gogh was obsessed with him. While in the asylum at Saint-Remy in late 1889 and early 1890, Van Gogh made twenty-one copies of Millet's paintings over three months, translating them into his own colour and brushwork. Millet died in 1875, co-founder of the Barbizon school and the painter who gave peasant life a permanent place in art.
Made to order
Choose your finish
Every piece is printed to order. These are the five finishes, and what makes each one different.
Fine Art Framed
From $250
The same fine art print in a solid wood frame with UV-protective acrylic glaze and rigid backing. Five frame colours. Arrives ready to hang.
Canvas
From $130
Hand-stretched canvas with neat gallery-wrapped edges, giving the artwork surface texture and depth. Arrives ready to hang.
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