In a scene that is unusually light-hearted for the artist, a young girl has abandoned her gaggle of geese to escape the summer heat by bathing in a stream. She is observed only by two cows in the background (in the top right corner). Light penetrating the foliage bathes the scene in a warm glow and unifies the composition. A contemplative artist, Millet (French, 1814 - 1875) developed this composition over seven years. Unlike other Barbizon artists, Millet produced few oil paintings outdoors and preferred to work from memory. Such work was later much admired by Camille Pissarro, who was inspired to paint his own version of the scene.
[Oil on canvas, 38 x 46.5 cm]
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