米勒是法国人，1814年出生，父亲是贫苦农人，很喜欢音乐。米勒从小跟父亲在田里耕种常常见他，一面劳动，一面唱歌。祖母是个慈祥的妇人，得空就教米勒读书认字，但米勒童年时最爱好的却是绘画。

有一天米勒在田里工作，一个老农夫的形状吸引他，他想即刻画下来，可惜袋里没有纸笔，只好把老农夫的形状默记在心里。回家以后，就去了炭条和纸张，把记忆中的老农夫默画出来，画得很像。他很满意地拿给父亲看。父亲看了他的画，知道是默画出来的。很高兴儿子有这种的天才，就立刻吩咐他明天不必到田里耕种，专心画画好了。这时米勒还不到十岁。

不久，米勒画了两张画，一张是牧羊图，另一张是严寒的冬夜里，一个人拿着热腾腾的面包在分给饥寒交迫的穷人吃。他的父亲看了感动得流下眼泪来，便替他预备了简单的行李，向人借了一点旅费，送他进城拜见名画家摩西尔，从此米勒就做了摩西尔的学生。

米勒又聪明又努力进步飞快，过了几年他的绘画更强过他的老师，县官知道米勒很有天才，向培养他为地方增光，就送给他每年二百块钱的公费到巴黎深造，不幸他的父亲不能看见他的成就，就在这时死了。

当米勒去巴黎的前夕，他的祖母恳切地对他说：“我有几句话，希望你终生不要忘记，你要做一个画家，首先要做一个善良的人，你要为了永远而画画，如果要我看见你做恶人，那么我宁愿看见你死！”

他祖母这番话，有力的影响着米勒一生，使米勒成为世界上的大画家。

米勒到了巴黎，很快便结束了学习的生活。他维持往下去，努力写画，并且结了婚生了孩子。

米勒画的是工匠和农户的生活，当时没有人赏识。这些话，谁都不愿意买他的画，有钱人只爱好裸体美女和王侯的肖像，买回去做家里的装饰。米勒为了老婆儿女的生活，不得不画些裸体去卖。

有一天，他在街上偶然听到人说，“米勒只会画裸体，画旁的简直不会画。”他难过得很带着一肚子闷气跑回家。他
望见祖母的遗像，他记起祖母的话，

“你要为永远而画画。”

他心痛极了，倒在床上抱头大哭，他决心要为永远而画画，但一家大小生活怎么过呢？贤明的米勒夫人安慰他，“我愿意和你过着跟贫苦的日子，我不怕吃苦的，你放心去做你应该做的事吧。”

米勒便带了家人搬到风景优美的巴比仲去开始有意义的画了。

他的妻子亲自山上砍柴锄地种菜，每天喝两顿稀粥和吃几块面包，米勒画了很多杰作，大都是穷人和农民的生活情形，这不是裸体美女画呀！有钱的人是不愿意买的，因此他更穷了，家里往往分文都没有，连面包店也不肯赊账了。有一天面包店老板带了警察来要钱说没钱就要抓人。米勒苦苦哀求，那老板才肯延期三日。借贷无门的米勒三天之内哪里去弄钱呢？他想自杀，但他想到心爱的妻子仍然要在世上受苦，便不愿意自己一人先死去。后来有一个人见他可怜，便给他几个法郎，随便拿了他一幅画走了。本来米勒很不愿意把那幅画给那个不懂画的人拿去，但限期到了，没有钱就要坐牢，有什么法子呢？米勒这时真像给人割去一块肉那样难受啊！

这幅以最低廉的代价被人拿去的画就是米勒毕生最有名的杰作“拾穗”。

“拾穗”描写仲夏的午间阳光照射在一片广阔的收割后的麦田上发出灿烂的金黄色前景，有三个不同年纪，但可能是婆媳孙三代一家俯下身体，默默地在捡拾麦田上遗下的麦穗，阳光投射在他们的头巾背部和围裙上构成了一幅美丽的画面，这题材的来源是根据法国民间的一种习惯或迷信。如果不让贫民在收割过的麦田上捡拾落穗。明年的收成一定不好。米勒在这个优美的画面里指出一个真实，有些人是靠拾落穗来帮生计的。

米勒依旧很穷困的过日子，孩子一年年增加。他常常挨饿来卖画，还幸很多画画朋友，对他很有情谊，知道他没柴没米的时候，便大家想法子凑点钱，说是人家来买画暗中帮助他。

有一次，家里已经两天没有柴米，孩子们只吃一些剩下的面包屑，他自己却饿着肚子，到晚上连一点灯油也没有，只好摸索着坐在床头听着孩子们断断续续地叫饿的哭声，妻子又快生产了，冷得在打震，他抚摸着骨感如柴的孩子，不禁心酸起来。他想再到明天，怎样活下去呢？他心痛得几乎昏晕过去，眼泪连珠般的落下来，他忍不住放声哭了，正在这时，有人紧急的敲门，他以为是债主带警察来捉人呢，吓得他连哭也不敢哭。敲门的声音越来越紧，他只好硬着头皮去开门。

两个差人走了进来，几乎把他吓死。可是差人这回竟没有恶意，很恭敬的把一个钱袋送给他，说是官府知道他是天才画家生活困难，特地送点奖励金给他。差人去后，他把钱袋打开一看，有一百法郎，他像做梦似地呆了好一阵，便立刻飞也似地跑去买面包回来给他的妻儿吃。

从此以后米勒的声名渐好起来，他的画有人买了，也有人请他画画了。他的另一幅名作“晚祷”，也有人出一千法郎收买了。

“晚祷”是描写一对农家夫妇日落黄昏，远远传来教堂的晚钟声，打破了沉静的田野一天的工作结束了，他们在俯首祈祷，画面充满了诗的情调。但也似乎露出了淡淡的哀愁。

可惜米勒开始被人注意的时间太迟了，这是他穷困一生的身体太衰弱了，于一八七四年正月廿日便和他的爱妻爱子永别了，享年六十岁。

米勒有名的作品很多，其中最为人所知的有“汐水妇人”，“持锄男子”，“剪羊毛的女人”，“晚祷”，“拾穗”，“植马铃薯者”，“播种者”等等。

他作品的主要特色是以宗教的虔诚感情为基础，而他的表现这种感情的具体形象，主要是田园生活人物是农夫，而大部分是赞美田园劳作的，因为米勒感情上的一片真诚和逼真。这些作品是很感动的。

米勒死了大约三十年，那一幅俗人用几个法郎拿走的“拾穗”被一个外国人以十万法郎买去。那幅“晚祷”也被一个外国人用五十多万法郎买走，后来法国的艺术界认为米勒的两幅毕生杰作，都流到外国，万分惋惜，便通过政府运用外交关系，交涉了几回，才用七十五万法郎的巨款，把“晚祷”买回来，生前穷得没有饭吃的米勒，那知死后他的一幅画竟要卖到七十五万巨款呢？

米勒是个善良的画家，他在那么穷困的环境里，坚持为永远而画画，结果他的画，永远感动着人们。

Jean-François Millet was born in France in 1814 to a poor farming family with a deep love for music. Growing up, Millet often watched his father work in the fields while singing songs. His grandmother, a kind-hearted woman, taught him to read and write whenever she had the chance, but young Millet's true passion was drawing.

One day, while working in the fields, he was struck by the image of an old farmer. Lacking paper and a pencil, he had to memorize the old farmer's appearance. Upon returning home, he used charcoal and paper to sketch the old farmer from memory. The resemblance was striking, and he proudly showed the drawing to his father. His father recognized that it was drawn from memory and, recognizing his son's talent, encouraged him to focus on painting instead of working in the fields. Millet was not even ten years old at the time.

Soon, Millet produced two paintings: one depicting shepherds and another portraying a person distributing warm bread to the hungry during a harsh winter night. These works deeply moved his father to tears, as they depicted the dignity of labor and the suffering of the poor.

Millet's artistic talents continued to grow, and he eventually became a student of the renowned painter Mouchel. The local authorities recognized Millet's genius and granted him an annual stipend of 200 francs to study art in Paris. Tragically, his father passed away before witnessing his son's achievements.

Before departing for Paris, Millet received heartfelt advice from his grandmother: "You must be a good person first and foremost if you want to be an artist. Paint for eternity. If I ever see you do evil, I'd rather see you dead!"

This advice deeply influenced Millet throughout his life and helped him become a great artist.

In Paris, Millet's studies came to an end as he faced financial challenges. He married and started a family, and his focus shifted towards painting the lives of laborers and peasants. Unfortunately, few people appreciated these works at the time. Wealthy individuals preferred paintings of nude women or portraits of nobility for decoration. To support his family, Millet had to paint nudes.

One day, he overheard someone saying, "Millet can only paint nudes; he can't paint anything else." This criticism hurt him deeply, and he felt desperate.

One of his famous paintings, "The Gleaners," portrayed three women stooping to collect leftover grain from a harvested field. This work emphasized the dignity of labor, highlighting the resilience of the working class.

Despite his hardships, Millet remained dedicated to painting. His wife supported his decision to move to Barbizon, a place with beautiful landscapes that inspired him to create meaningful art.

Millet continued to live a simple and impoverished life. However, his talent eventually gained recognition, and people began to purchase his paintings. His famous works, such as "The Gleaners" and "The Angelus," captured the essence of rural life and the dignity of labor.

Sadly, Millet passed away in 1875 at the age of sixty. His legacy lives on through his numerous masterpieces, which continue to move and inspire people to this day.