Impressionism, the partakers of the expositions:
Jean-Baptiste Millet
(1831-1906)
The unknown brother
Jean-Baptiste Millet, introduction:
Jean-Baptiste Millet was a pupil of his famous older brother Jean-François Millet. There is very little known about him. He exhibited several times at the Salon from 1870-1880 and in 1876 he exhibited 10 works at the 2nd ‘impressionist’ exposition.
Jean-Baptiste Millet and the Salon:
Jean-Baptiste Millet did exhibit at the Salon in 1870 + 74 + 75 + 76 + 77 + 78 + 80. He only exhibited watercolours. 7 of the works he exhibited were loans. See link for his pictures. See link for an account.
Jean-Baptiste Millet only joined the 2nd ‘impressionist’ exposition:
At the 2nd ‘impressionist’ exposition Jean-Baptiste Millet showed 10 works (catalogue numbers 138-147) (R2,p163): 5 of them were watercolours; 6 of them were loans (of art-dealers) (R88;R2,p163). See link for his pictures. See link for an account.
Jean-Baptiste Millet as an artist:
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 mean themes (iR1;R3;R9). 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). He made several engravings of his brother Jean-François Millet works, including ’the seated shepherdess’ (R9;iR69). Jean-Baptiste Millet also was a sculptor (iR24) and a woodcutter / woodcarver (iR60;iR24). Jean-Baptiste Millet was active in Berques, Liège and Elsene (iR24).
Half of the works Jean-Baptiste Millet exhibited at the Salon and with the impressionists in 1876 were loans. Probably Henri Rouart and Charles Tillot were among the owners.
Jean-Baptiste Millet, a short biography:
- 1831 Jean-Baptiste Millet was born in Gréville (Manche), which lies south of the Normandy peninsula (R9;R88;R3;iR1;iR69). RKD mentions he was born in Gruchy (iR24).
- His parents were farmers (R3)
- He was 17 years younger than his famous brother Jean-François Millet (1814-75; R9;R3;R88).
- 1870: lived in Chailly (iR1)
- 1874+75: lived in Barbizon (iR1)
- 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 (iR1)
- 1906/03: Jean-Baptiste Millet died in Auvers-sur-Oise , which lies a bit north of Pontoise (iR24;R9;R88;R3;iR69)
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. 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), BNF (iR40) and Bénézit (iR69). 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)
Additional references:
- gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k1244403m (1888/01/23 Hôtel Drouot sale with 1 work of a Millet (J.B.): no. 74, Les Blés, aquarelle; =iR40)
- 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)
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Recommanded citation: “Jean-Baptiste Millet, the unknown brother. Last modified 2022/07/08. https://www.impressionism.nl/millet-jean-baptiste/.”