Jean Francois Millet was born in Gruchy near Cherbourg and came from peasant stock and grew up in poverty. He exhibited his first picture of rustic life in 1848 and moved to the artists colony at Barbizon in 1849. He became close friends with the painter Theodore Rousseau although it was probably Charles Jacque who introduced him to etching. In all, he made only a dozen or so etchings which were all commissioned plates. He also made a handful of woodcuts although designed and drawn on the wood by him, they were cut in the blocks by others.