Jean-François MILLET was a French painter of rural scenes in the mid-19th century. He is best known for his paintings of peasant farmers and rural life, which were highly influential in the development of modern art. MILLET was born in Gruchy, Normandy, and studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. His works often depicted scenes of everyday life in rural France, and he was a major influence on the Barbizon school of painting.