Greatest Paintings: The French Revolution - Millet's Angelus

Jean-François Millet’s 1859 painting, *The Angelus*, serves as a profound cultural touchstone that captures the tension between French Catholicism and post-Revolutionary secularism. Art critic Laura Cumming and historian Tom Holland examine how this small-scale masterpiece, depicting two peasants pausing their potato harvest to pray at dusk, evolved from a simple devotional image into a definitive symbol of French national identity. The work illustrates the pre-industrial rhythm of life, where the distant sound of church bells dictated the structure of the day. While the painting’s soft lighting and meditative stillness suggest a gentle piety, its historical context is charged with the ongoing political struggle over the role of the Church in France. By focusing on the physical details—such as the imprint of a hat in the man’s hair and the glowing light on the woman’s apron—the discussion highlights how Millet translates the auditory experience of ringing bells into a visual moment of profound, collective silence.