Vincent van Gogh, First Steps, after Millet, 1890, oil on canvas, Gift of George N. and Helen M. Richard, 1964, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Title: First Steps, after Millet, 1890
Artist: Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)
During the preceding few weeks, the Holy Family has often been featured in our Christmas narrative in art. Vincent van Gogh’s scene of peasant parents encouraging their toddler child to walk above may be set in the 19th century, but the tenderness and love expressed in First Steps, after Millet can be compared positively to representations of Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus by the masters of the Italian and Northern Renaissance. Van Gogh was also directly inspired by a similarly titled work by French artist Jean-Francois Millet (1814-1875).
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