Description
In Digger, a man stoops over the earth with his spade, his body set against a large dark shadow. Strong angular cuts give this woodcut a high contrast, making the worker’s position emphatic within the limited space of the image. Millet’s digger is defined through bodily effort and the graphic relation between the figure and the dark area behind him.
The design is dated 1863, but this impression belongs to a posthumous edition and is the second and final state on laid paper. The year therefore identifies the work’s design history rather than proving when this sheet was printed. Millet’s subject retains its interest across that later material life, with the figure’s work remaining the image’s center. The print allows a familiar task to become a lasting visual presence while preserving the distinction between creation and subsequent publication.
Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Jean-François Millet collection.
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