Millet, Jean-Baptiste

 

 

Impressionism: partaker of the second ‘impressionist’ exposition:

Jean-Baptiste Millet

(1830-1906)

The unknown younger brother

Jean-Baptiste Millet, introduction:
Jean-Baptiste Millet exhibited 10 works at the 2nd ‘impressionist’ exposition in 1876. He was a pupil of his famous older brother Jean-François Millet. There is little known about him. He exhibited several times at the Salon from 1870-1880.

Jean-Baptiste Millet and the Salon:
Jean-Baptiste Millet did exhibit at the Salon (=S) and it’s successor the Salon de la Société des Artistes Français (=SdAF) in 1870 + 74 + 75 + 76 + 77 + 78 + 80. He only exhibited watercolours. 7 of the works he exhibited were loans. See link for an overview of his pictures. See link for an account.

 

Jean-Baptiste Millet only joined the 2nd ‘impressionist’ exposition:
At the 2nd ‘impressionist’ exposition in 1876 (=2IE-1876) Jean-Baptiste Millet showed 10 works (catalogue numbers 138-147) (R2,p163); 5 of them were watercolours and 2 (sépia) drawings; 6 of them were loans (of art-dealers) (R88;R2,p163). See link for his pictures. See link for an account.
Half of the works Jean-Baptiste Millet exhibited at the Salon and at the 2nd ‘impressionist’ exposition in 1876 were loans. Owners were: Charles Tillot (S1874-2385), F. Chaigneau (S1874-2386 + S1875-2572); Henri Rouart (S1875-2570+2571); Haro (2IE-1876-139+143 + S1876-2763); Brame (2IE-1876-138); Georges Petit (2IE-1876-140+141+144).
Maybe Jean-Baptiste was invited by Charles Tillot who did loan a work to the Salon of 1874 or by Henri Rouart who did loan 2 works of him to the Salon of 1875. Tillot and Rouart had exhibited at the 1st ‘impressionist’ exposition in 1874 and would do so afterwards.
Note: some sources wrongly claim that Millet showed 10 watercolours in 1876 (aR12).

Jean-Baptiste Millet at other exhibitions:
The last time Millet exhibited at the Salon was in 1880. Before that some of his works were auctioned at Hôtel Drouot, namely in 1874 (=HD1874). A first retrospective was held in 1887 meanly from the collection of the Ono family (from Cherbourg) (aR12). In 1891 there would be an exhibition with works of Jean-François Millet and likely also watercolours of Jean-Baptiste*. 1943/12/14 till 1944/01/11: there was a retrospective of 66 drawings and aquarelles held at the gallery Peltier, avenue de Friedland in Paris** (iR86; iR11; iR5).
Source*: an announcement in L’Est républicain (1891/03/09) (iR40//bpt6k7488230w) and Le National (iR40).
Sources**: this is referred to in several newspapers, including Comoedia 1944/01/08 (iR40,bpt6k76540934) and Paris-Soir 1943/12/17 mentions  (iR40//bpt6k76439853).

Jean-Baptiste Millet as an artist:
Jean-Baptiste Millet started his career as a sculptor when he was just 20 years old. He received commissions from Viollet-le-Duc for restaurations of gothic churches like the Notre-Dame and Madeleine in Paris and namely the tomb of François I (see) (aR5;aR6;aR3;aR9;iR24;iR40). Jean-Baptiste once lived in the Rue Ravignan in Montmartre; here he kept a wooden sculpture made when he was 12 years old (aR6).
Jean-Baptiste Millet was a pupil of his famous older brother Jean-François Millet ↓ (iR1;R9;R88;R3;iR69). Landscapes, farms, farmers, harvests, shepherds, mills,  and work on a farm were his main themes (iR1;R3;R9; see thematical overview). He showed bright colours and transparant atmospheres which made him related to the ‘impressionist’ doctrines (R9). But mostly he used watercolours and charcoal (R88;iR1).
Jean-Baptiste Millet also was an engraver / printmaker (iR24;R3), more specific a woodcutter / woodcarver (iR60;iR24). He made several (wood) engravings after works of his brother Jean-François Millet, namely ’the seated shepherdess’↓ made after a drawing (R9;iR69;R138I). Delteil (1906) calls it ‘exceptional’ and dates it around 1868 (R138I,no33), another source dates it 1863 (iR30=M20) and yet another around 1874 (iR11/auction 2014/02/22). Delteil (1906) also mentions that F. Keppel acquired most of the wood blocks of Jean-François, Jean-Baptiste and Pierre Millet (R138I). Number 32 + 34 from the Delteil catalogue was made by Pierre Millet after a drawing of Jean-François. Many of the etchings Delteil attributes to Jean-François have no signature (R138I). Several drawings (enhanced with colours) of Jean-Baptiste were first attributed to his famous brother Jean-François (aR9).
Later in his life Jean-Baptiste, out of modesty, didn’t accept to be appointed in the Légion d’Honneur (aR9;aR3).
In a memoriam Jean-Baptiste is called the last represent of the school of Barbizon (aR6). Many of his works have been sold to people in the USA (aR6).
Note: Some state that Jean-Baptiste was active in Berques (north of Calais close to the Belgium border, Liège (in Belgium) and Elsene (just south of Brussels, Belgium) (iR24;iR9), but I couldn’t find other affirmation.

Jean-Baptiste and Jean-François Millet:
In memoria in March 1906 Jean-Baptiste was often called ’the brother of the maker of l’Angelus (M1) or Les Glaneuses’ (M1) (iR40). He lived in the shadow of his famous brother Jean-François Millet, who is well known as landscapist, Realist and Barbizon painter (iR127). They both were born in the hamlet Gruchy near Gréville, which now is part of Gréville-Hague (iR3), west of Cherbourg-en-Cotentin and part of the Manche region, the south-western penninsula of Normandy. More exact at 19, Hameau de Gruchy (iR9). Their father was the mayor of this commune (aR3).
Jean-François was born here 1814/10/04 and Jean-Baptiste 1830/06/17*. Their parents had a large  farm (R3;R138I;aR3); others call them ‘modest peasants without being poor’ (aR11). The agricultural lands spread towards the cliffs of the English Channel (iR9). It also had an apple orchard (aR6). The family consisted of 8 children (R138I;aR11), including 5 sons (aR6) and also the mother of their father (aR11). Among the brothers, Jean-Baptiste was most close to Jean-François (aR6). He also looked like his older brother (aR7). Their father, Jean Louis Nicolas Millet, was buried 1835/11/29 (iR67; R138I). Jean-François started his art studies with Paul Delaroche in Paris 1837/01. In 1849 he moved to Barbizon. (aR11)
Their mother, Henriette Henry died in 1853/02/10 (iR67; aR11). Jean-François (later) inherited the family farm. This farm is now a museum. The well often depicted by Jean-Baptiste↓ and Jean-François can still be seen (iR10).
Note: Many sources wrongly mention Jean-Baptiste was 17 years younger (R9;R3;R88;aR12) and render 1831 as year of birth (R9;R88;R3;iR1;iR69;iR23;iR86).

There is some correspondance known between Jean-Baptiste and Jean-François:
1854/08: His brother Jean-François wrote to Jean-Baptiste a letter in Gréville (iR40/bpt6k96865944 =R349II,p186)
1863/05/17: (aR8=iR40)
Jean-François wrote Jean-Baptiste from Barbizon, mentioning his migraines and sleepwalking. He mentions a sale of works of Rousseau the 15th.
(late) 1863:
Later the same year Jean-François wrote that in working ‘one finds the most power against the burdens of life’. He than also mentions being occupied in making an etch. (aR8=iR40)
1864:
Jean-François wrote that the parental house in Gréville (=Gruchy) will be sold and broken up (aR8=iR40)
1864/12 (?):
Jean-François mentions there meeting in Paris last Auguste and that since then he didn’t stop suffering from migraine. Probably in the same letter Jean-François mentions he has seen his beautiful engraving and he invites him to come and bring his etchings and drawing / studies of Montmartre. (aR8=iR40)
1866/11/07: Jean-François wrote Jean-Baptiste a letter from Barbizon (iR86).
Jean-François had talked with Félix Ziem to arrange a meeting between Jean-Baptiste and Dr. David Gruby. Jean François had heard of Alfred Sensier that on the etchings of Jean-Baptiste biting accidents had occured, he asks if Jean-Baptiste had done the biting or Félix Bracquemond. Jean-François asks to deliver the drawing from a library (or something like that) to Charles Tillot, which he asked for. Jean-François mentions his suffering from migraines and that William Morris Hunt had stayed with him.
1869/02/17: (aR8=iR40)
Jean-François wrote Jean-Baptiste a letter from Barbizon, calling himself ‘a poor old wretch’. He writes about finishing a painting to sent it to the Salon before the 28th of March. It depicts a woman knitting looking at her little girl.
1870/09/10: (aR8=iR40)
Jean-François wrote Jean-Baptiste a letter from Cherbourg where he had went to because of the French-Prussian war. He mentions Barye and Théophile Silvestre had visited him.
1870/10/04: (aR8=iR40)
Jean-François wrote Jean-Baptiste a letter from Cherbourg writing he is very worried. He mentions he hasn’t went yet to Gréville and he has been interrogates at least 6 times.
1870/11ca: (iR40/bpt6k96868782 =R349III,p64):
Jean-Baptiste wrote to Jean-François in Cherbourg to reassure him on the situation in Barbizon.  He had flew from Paris to Barbizon because of the French-Prussian war.
1870/11/14: (iR40/bpt6k96868782 =R349III,p65)
Jean-François wrote from Cherbourg to the host Babcock and mentioned his worries that maybe Jean (Baptiste) will be called up for the army.
1871/09/09: (aR8=iR40)
Jean-François wrote that he had been to their native Gréville (=Gruchy), where some other family lived in their native home. The village has changed, like abandonned. Probably in this letter he would describe that their native farm had changed into a bourgeois house. Large trees were cut down, damaged corners of greenery, the old well is half demolished.

Jean-Baptiste Millet was a pupil of his famous older brother Jean-François Millet (iR1;R9;R88;R3;iR69). In his early years Jean-Baptiste did oil paintings, that had many similarities with his brother (aR3). To be discerned from his brother, Jean-Baptiste devoted himself to aquarelles (and drawings) (aR6;aR3;aR9). He also made several (wood) engravings after works of his brother Jean-François Millet. In a letter it is noted that Jean-Baptiste flew from Paris to Barbizon in 1870/11 (iR40/bpt6k96868782 =R349III,p64), where he lived with his brother (aR5;aR6), 27, Grande Rue (iR9), which is now also a museum.

Jean François died 1875/01/20 and Jean Baptiste is mentioned as witness in the death act. He is called a painter of profession, aged 48 and living in Barbizon (iR40/bpt6k96825069). After Jean-François his departure Jean-Baptiste left Barbizon and lived in Saint-Ouen (just north-west of Paris), Valmondois (north of Auvers-sur-Oise; here he was befrieded with Théophile Silvestre), Saumur (300km south-west of Paris), Paris and Gréville (aR6). Jean-Baptiste inhereted from Jean-François the parental old Normandy farm in Gruchy, which around 1891 had become a pilgrimage goal (aR6;iR40).

Jean-Baptiste made here in Gruchy the following watercolours: la Lessive (the Laundry); le Coin du feu (corner of the fireside); la Veillée (the wake); le Verger (the Orchard) (aR6).
Jean-Baptiste was tempted to change his signature from J.B. to J.F. to receive more money for his drawings and aquarelles (aR6;aR7). Jean-Baptiste told Noel Amaudru that he was angry that buyers of his drawings changed the B into an F (aR7). The other way round, many works are wrongly attributed to Jean-François instead of Jean-Baptiste (aR9). Jean-Baptiste also explained Amaudru that they had the same style and depicted the same themes and sometimes even worked together on one work (for exemple a marine): “I have in fact worked a long time with him, he supported me with his advice, his solid experience, his intuition so certain and sound, in his studio in Barbizon where the glorious school of landscapists existed.” Jean-Baptiste also recalled the visits of Corot (the Benefactor), Barye (a man of the Bible), Rousseau (giving many receptions), Diaz to their shared studio. (aR7).

Another brother was Pierre. He was born around 1834/01/06 (iR67). He also was a painter. He namely had lived in Massachussets (USA) and died in his native town Gréville. In 1915 there would be a benefit exposition of Pierre Millet, including watercolours of his brother Jean-Baptiste and paintings of Jean-François.
Source: article in Journal de la Manche (1915/07/31) (iR40//bpt6k23535857); also mentioned in L’Ouest-Éclair (iR40).

Millet, artists and other persons:
Jean-Baptiste (and Jean-François) weren’t the only artists with the last name Millet. And also other persons had this last name.
Frédéric Millet (1786-1859) was a (traditional) portrettist (iR127).
Jean Baptiste (Pierre) Millet (1796-1883) was a politician and active in Orange (iR66).
Aimé Millet (1819-91) was a sculptor (iR127), exhibited at the Salon (SdaF) (iR1).
Eugène Louis Millet (1819-79) was an architecture (iR127).
Désirée François Millet was a photographer (iR127).
Eugène Henri Millet, exhibited at the Salon (SdaF) (iR1).
François Millet, exhibited at the Salon (SdaF) (iR1).
Mlle Claire-Henriette Millet, exhibited at the Salon (SdaF) (iR1).

Jean-Baptiste Millet, a short biography:

  • 1830/06/17: Jean-Baptiste Millet was born in Gruchy, now part of Gréville-Hague (iR67; iR42); he was baptized the next day (iR67).
  • 1860/07/31: a Jean-Baptiste Millet married Alexandrine de Thierry in Paris (iR67)
  • 1870/08/09: in L’Abeille (1872/08/10) there was an announcement on request of Amélie-Louise Quiclet including a long list concerning a first sale 1870/08/09 organised by the law firm Delaunay in Corbeil; in this list the name of a Jean Baptiste Millet name and his wife Marie-Marguerite Caille are mentioned  (iR40/bd6t512632925)
  • 1870: lived in Chailly (iR1)
  • 1874/03/07: sale of drawings and aquarelles at Hôtel Drouot (iR19/ia802807)
  • 1874+75: lived in Barbizon (iR1)
  • 1875/09/13: in the Journal Officiel de la Republique Français (page 7849) there is a list of subscribers / donators for victims of the flood (of 23 July?); a Jean Baptiste Millet contributed 5fr (which is quite much) (iR40/bpt6k6491990g)
  • 1876+77: lived at the Rue Pouletier, 9, Paris (iR1;R2,p163).
  • 1878: lived at the Rue Saint-Jean-d’Osny in Pontoise (iR1)
  • 1880: lived in Saumur (Maine-et-Loire), 13, rue Royale, about 300km south-west of Paris (iR1;iR9)
  • 1906/03: Jean-Baptiste Millet died, aged 75, in Auvers-sur-Oise, which lies a bit north of Pontoise (iR24;R9;R88;R3;iR69;aR3); here he also is buried (iR452).
    He left a wife and a son behind (aR9)
  • Several newspapers mentioned his departure in a shorter articles; in Le Petit Midi (iR40); La Gazette du Centre (iR40); Le Gil Blas (iR40); L’Univers (iR40); The New York Herald (iR40); L’Eclair (iR40); La Gazette de France (iR40); La Politique Colonial (iR40);
    1906/03/26: La Liberté published an extended in memoriam by Gaston Wiallard (aR3=iR40)
    1906/03/28: Noël Amaudru wrote an extended in memoriam which was published in Le XIXe Siècle and Le Rappel (aR6=iR40)
  • 1906: Delteil in his volume I describes the etchings of Jean-François Millet; in a footnote on no.2 he refers to the wood engravings of Pierre and Jean-Baptiste Millet; on no.33 La grande bergère assisse he mentions the wood engraving of Jean-Baptiste Millet and the engraving of G. Belin-Dollet; there are 2 states known (iR40/bpt6k96938206 =R138I)
  • 1935/01/30ca: Jean-Charles Millet, the grandson, is accused to have falsified the work Vanneur au bonnet rouge signed Jean-Baptiste; news items appear in in La Petite Gironde (iR40/bpt6k4372060b); in La Presse (iR40), Excelsior (iR40), L’Intransigéant (iR40),
  • 1942/12/18: in an article in Le Radical de Marseille (1942/12/19) it is mentioned that a gouache titled ‘L’assemblée au Salon’ was auctioned for 110.000fr at Hôtel Drouot (iR40//bpt6k50488789)

Sources:
Jean-Baptiste Millet is not or hardly mentioned in books on Impressionism and no picture is rendered (R1;R4;R5;R6;R8;R16;R17;R19;R22;R84;R89;R94;R95;R102;R116). More often his older brother Jean-François Millet is mentioned as a Pré-Impressionist. Delteil (1906) in his introduction to the etchings of Jean-François renders some information that applies to both brothers and renders a woodprint made by Jean-Baptiste (R138I + no.33). There is no English Wikipedia site about Jean-Baptiste Millet (iR3). The French Wikipedia site only mentions a Jean-Baptiste Pierre Millet (1796-1883) who was a politician (iR4). My main sources are Moffett (1986=R2,p163), Walther (2013=R3,p680), Schurr & Cabanne (2008=R9,p532), Monneret (1878-81=R88I,p529), the Salon database (iR1), RKD (iR24), gallica BNF (iR40), van-gogh.fr (iR77) and Bénézit (iR69). My main sources for the pictures are the Atheneum (iR2); mutualart (iR11); art.net (iR13); invaluable.co.uk (iR17); Joconde (iR23); gazette-druout.com (iR86); Askart (iR41); gazette-drouot.com (iR86); Google images (iR10). And also musea: Art Institute Chicago (M20); . For other general references (=R) see. For other references to internet sites (=iR) see. For other additional references (=aR) see below. See links for practical hints and abbreviations and for the subscription of the paintings.

See for additional reading:
Bénézit (1999=R76), Witt Library (1978,p210=R78), Thieme / Becker (Vol24,p567,1930=R79), Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon (2017=R81). (iR24;iR60)
Moreau-Nélaton, Étienne: Millet, raconté par lui-même. Paris, 1921. (=R349)
Tome deuxième (gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k96865944?rk)
Tome troisième (gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k96868782?rk)

Additional references:

  1. gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k1244403m (1888/01/23 Hôtel Drouot sale with 1 work of a Millet (J.B.): no. 74, Les Blés, aquarelle; =iR40)
  2. gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k12418670 (1877/01/27, Hôtel Drouot sale with 3 works of a Millet (J.B.): no. 66, Cour de ferme, sépia; no. 67, Ferme aux environs de Barbizon, aquarelle; no. 68, Moulin à eau, aquarelle; = iR40)
  3. gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k4795590n (extended in memoriam by Gaston Wiallard in La Liberté 1906/03/06; =iR40)
  4. leboncoin.fr//2472549947 (gallery in Mulhouse has some gravures of Jean-Baptiste Millet; spotted 2024/09/25)
  5. gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k51843815 (article in L’Informateur de Seine & Marne 1943/12/28 on a retrospective of Millet, including a short biograhy by Pierre Doignon; =iR40)
  6. gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k7568643k (extended in memoriam by Noël Amaudru in Le XIXe siècle 1906/03/28; the same appeared the same day in Le Rappel; =iR40)
  7. gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k7541537s (first article on letters of JF Millet also to Jean Baptiste in Le Rappel 1893/04/02 ; =iR40)
  8. gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k75415408 (second article on letters of JF Millet also to Jean Baptiste in Le Rappel 1893/04/05 by Noël Amaudru; =iR40)
  9. gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k5621009 (short in memoriam in Le Petit Parisien 1906/03/26; =iR40)
  10. gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k5632332 (in memoriam in Le Petit Parisien 1909/05/06, but not on our Jean-Baptiste Millet; =iR40)
  11. musée-millet.com (the website on the Jean-François Millet museum in Barbizon also renders a biography on him)
  12. van-gogh.fr/jean-baptiste-millet (biography of Jean-Baptiste Millet by Adrian Darmon; =iR77)

 

Recommanded citation: “Impressionism: Jean-Baptiste Millet, the unknown younger brother, did partake the 2nd ‘impressionist’ exposition. Last modified 2024/10/02. https://www.impressionism.nl/millet-jean-baptiste/.”