The Rest Is History

Greatest Paintings: The French Revolution - Millet's Angelus

February 25, 2026

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  • The painting under discussion in this episode of "The Rest Is History," *The Angelus* by Jean-François Millet, was a highly popular and famous image of devotion in France that simultaneously represented a controversial political stance regarding Catholicism versus secularism following the French Revolution. 
  • The visual experience of viewing *The Angelus* emphasizes meditative slowness, gentle figures, and the sound of distant bells calling the potato-digging laborers to prayer at twilight. 
  • The hosts identify the central mystery of the painting as whether it expresses French Catholicism, French Jacobinism, or potentially both, given the fraught political history of the church in France. 

Segments

Introductory Banter and Sponsor
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(00:00:03)
  • Key Takeaway: The episode of “The Rest Is History” is sponsored by Claude by Anthropic, which is highlighted as being built for complex historical analysis and disagreement.
  • Summary: The opening segment features a brief discussion between the hosts about historical mysteries, specifically the Maya civilization and the origin of human fire use in Suffolk. The sponsor, Claude by Anthropic, is introduced as a tool suited for digging into historical disagreements to reveal new insights.
Introducing Millet’s Angelus
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(01:16)
  • Key Takeaway: The episode focuses on four paintings reflecting specific historical periods, with this installment dedicated to Jean-François Millet’s The Angelus from the mid-19th century.
  • Summary: Host Tom Holland introduces art critic Laura Cumming, confirming the series will examine the history, artist’s life, and mysteries surrounding four specific paintings. The focus shifts immediately to The Angelus by Jean-François Millet, posing the central question of whether it represents French Catholicism or French Jacobinism.
Identifying the Painting and Context
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(02:05)
  • Key Takeaway: Laura Cumming identifies the painting as The Angelus, painted in 1859 by Jean-François Millais (Millet is M-I-L-L-E-T, Millais is M-I-L-L-A-I-S), noting its immense popularity as a devotional image in rural France.
  • Summary: The discussion confirms the painting is The Angelus and addresses the potential confusion between the spellings of Millet and Millais. The painting became a representation of a specific, controversial idea of France for the French by the mid-19th century.
Visual Description of Angelus
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(03:17)
  • Key Takeaway: The Angelus depicts two figures, a man and a woman, standing still in prayer over unearthed potatoes at twilight, backlit by golden rays near a distant church spire.
  • Summary: The painting is described as small, showing two figures with heads bent in prayer while standing amidst dug potatoes, suggesting they are agricultural laborers. In the distance, a spire is visible beneath pink clouds, marking the time as twilight.
Meaning of Angelus Prayer
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(04:06)
  • Key Takeaway: The title refers to the Angelus prayer, traditionally recited three times daily (noon, sunset, dusk) in pre-industrial times, marking the span of the day through the ringing of church bells.
  • Summary: The prayer commemorates the Annunciation by the Archangel Gabriel to Mary regarding the conception of Christ, involving Hail Marys. This religious devotion is politically charged because the French Revolution was strongly anti-clerical, making the painting’s relationship to Catholicism a live political issue.
Contrasting Fame and Experience
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(05:12)
  • Key Takeaway: Despite the political controversy that brought it fame, standing before the actual painting reveals a meditative slowness, gentle figures, and the palpable stillness evoked by the distant ringing bells.
  • Summary: The painting, usually housed in the Musée d’Orsay, conveys a sense of meditative slowness when viewed in person, contrasting with its political fame. Details like the imprint of the man’s hat and the soft painting style emphasize the figures’ hard labor (digging potatoes) during the late September twilight hour.