JEAN FRANÇOIS MILLET
not conceal their origin but explicitly rests them upon Poussin.
"When Poussin," writes Millet in some notes upon art to Sensier who had asked for them, "when Poussin sent his picture of Manna to M. de Chantelou he did not say to him: See what a fine bit of colour, see how bold, see how it is put in, or any of the things of that kind to which so many painters seem to attach importance, I don't know why. He said: If you remember the letter which I wrote you touching the movement of the figures that I promised to put into it, and if you consider the picture altogether, I think you will easily recognize which are those that are languishing, those that are full of pity, and those that are performing charitable actions."
The matter would rather seem to be a book than a picture. "Characterisation, that is the aim," wrote Millet again. "In art one must have a main thought, express it eloquently, preserve it in oneself and communicate it to others strongly as though by the die of a medal." Note the words "thought" and "eloquently"; they conform closely to the
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