Page:François-Millet.djvu/84

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JEAN FRANÇOIS MILLET

strongly built,[1] with the neck and shoulders of a bull and "ploughman's hands." His curly dark hair was brushed back and showed a fine attentively serious brow. His eyebrows were apt to frown. His eyes, grey or very dark blue and not widely opened, "penetrated to the depths of the soul"; their expression was often melancholy and stern, sometimes a little ironical. The nose was correct and not particularly characteristic. A very thick black beard covered the rather full cheeks. The jaw was solid and a little prominent, and the neck thick. Judging from his portraits, his countenance was marked not so much by thought or feeling as by will. The refinement of certain features too is striking and contrasts with the general aspect of the rather heavy head and with its suggestion of a good, intelligent big dog. Millet had "the drawl of the Lower Normans and stammered a little." Other writers say, "a slight hesitation in his speech and slow movements." With people whom he did not know he was conspicuously reserved, measured his words and expressed

  1. As he grew old he became rather stout. Otherwise his appearance changed but little.

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