Art Collections Online

Winter - The Faggot Gatherers

MILLET, Jean-François (1814 - 1875)

Winter - The Faggot Gatherers

Date: 1868-75

Media: oil on canvas

Size: 82.0 x 100.0 cm

Acquired: 1952; Bequest; Gwendoline Davies

Accession Number: NMW A 2478

Collection: The Davies Sisters Collection

This stark image of rural hardship depicts three heavily laden women returning in the darkness from collecting firewood. The subject is one which Millet revisited in sketches over the course of several years. This painting, however, remained unfinished. It is possible that it represented ‘Winter’ in a group of the four seasons. Millet painted over a female portrait which is partly visible on the right.

Comments (2)

Comments are currently unavailable. We apologise for the inconvenience.
Amgueddfa Cymru Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales Staff
1 June 2009, 10:07
Dear Carolin, Wikipedia has the following definition of 'faggot':
A faggot or fagot is a bundle of sticks or branches, usually meant for use as firewood. It derives through the Old French fagot and the Italian diminutive fagotto from the Latin Fasces ("bundle", also the origin of the word Fascism), coming into Middle English no later than 1279.
Carolin Malone
1 June 2009, 10:04
I can't seem to find out what faggots are. I thought it refered to a bundle as a bouquet garni but since the description above says "with a bundle of faggots", it must refer to something else. Can you enlighten me as to what they are carrying? Thank You!
Back to Art Collections Online homepage

Browse artists

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z All Other

Browse makers and designers

Browse by letter:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z All