JEAN FRANÇOIS MILLET
author of "Talks on Art" (1875) who bought the Woman shearing Sheep and The Shepherd, and of whom Millet once said that "he was the best and most intimate friend he ever had"; Edward Wheelwright who was his pupil in 1855 and who wrote in the "Atlantic Monthly" of September 1876 an article which (Sensier's great book excepted) is the most intelligent study and the fullest of interesting memories that we have; Shaw, the American for whom Millet subsequently painted The Priory of Vauville; Richard Hearn, the Irishman; William Babcock, etc. It was also an American who bought The Reapers. Others besides made purchases from him. This help was the more precious because at this date (1853-54) he was absolutely short of money and worried by tradespeople. "Try, my poor Sensier," he wrote to his friend, "try to turn my pictures into money; sell them no matter at what price but send me 100 francs, 50 or even 30." His life was wearing him out but he said without anger and with a resigned and manly sadness: "In art, one has to stake one's skin." He was killing himself with work for his family, and Rousseau who had
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