Musée Jean-François Millet

Jean-François Millet set down his suitcases and easel here in 1849, on the main street of Barbizon, a village on the edge of the Fontainebleau forest. Like his contemporaries Corot, Daubigny and Rousseau, this 19th-century landscape painter chose to work in the outdoors, “en plein air,” directly from nature.

Until his death in 1875, the artist took inspiration from this village and its rural surroundings to create masterpieces such as “The Angelus” and “The Gleaners”, today on display as part of the Musée d'Orsay collection. A precursor to the impressionist movement, Millet was a great influence on painters like Monet, Pissarro and later Van Gogh.

In the artist’s studio

Transformed into a private museum in 1923, his studio gives you a glimpse of the artist’s life and way of working. Classified as a historic monument, this charming house with its period façade boasts many areas that have been preserved in their original condition. Inside, three eclectic rooms present a mix of canvases by Millet and his friends with family photographs.

Original everyday objects (a prayer book, paint palette, etc.) and drawings complete this astonishing collection. Full of personal items, the house creates a sense of total immersion. The larger gallery space is dedicated to temporary exhibitions focusing on Millet’s heritage and legacy. Continue the tour at the Musée des Peintres de Barbizon (Barbizon Painters Museum), located at the other end of the Grande Rue.