A Norman Milkmaid at Gréville

Two weeks ago we were presenting the idea of Academy and Academic art. Realism was the opposite movement. It revolted against the exotic subject matter, exaggerated emotionalism and drama of the Academism movement. It sought, instead, to portray real and typical contemporary people, situations with truth and accuracy, and not to avoid unpleasant or sordid aspects of life. Realist works depicted people of all classes in situations that arose in ordinary life, often reflecting the changes brought about by the Industrial and Commercial Revolutions. The popularity of such ‘realistic’ works grew with the introduction of photography — a new visual source that created a desire for people to produce representations which looked, objectively, real. Millet's masterpiece, “A Norman Milkmaid at Gréville” is a perfect example of Realism.