BRETON loved the fields, and in the peasants 

 and their work there found his happiest 

 subjects. The Song of the Lark, one of his 

 best-loved paintings, is typical of the finest quali- 

 ties of his genius. His peasant irl is not beautiful, 

 but she is strong and thoroughly alive to the joy 

 and beauty all about her. The work-day before 

 her will be long, for the sun is just pushing above 

 the horizon; and the labor of gleaning is by no 

 means easy. But that has not deadened her to 

 the fact that there is a shimmer of dew on the 

 fields, a rosy glow in the sky, and above all, that 

 there is somewhere in the air above her a singing 

 lark. 



In the intensity of her interest she stands still 

 for a moment, but not as one of Millet's work- 

 worn peasants would stand. There is an uplifted 

 look about the whole figure and face. One heel 

 is raised from the ground; the hand that holds 

 the sickle is slightly lifted and clenched; the 

 shoulders are thrown back, and the lips are parted 

 as if to echo the exquisite notes of the morning 

 songster. The observer finds himself holding his 

 breath that he, too, may catch the sounds that 

 haveT>rightened this peasant girl's day. 



L. J. B. 



