Millet, The Angelus, 55.5×66 cm, 1857–1859, held at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. Following The Gleaners, Millet completed this masterpiece, depicting a pair of devout farmers listening to distant bells. At dusk, amidst somber tones, the sunset fills the sky; against an endlessly extending horizon, the shadow of a church stands out, creating deep spatial contrast with the couple of farmers in the foreground.

Simplified figures under contrasting colors and backlighting resemble two solid statues, radiating a sincere religious sentiment. Hearing the clear bell sounds from afar, they put down all work, stand solemnly with bowed heads, and silently pray with humility. This genuine religious devotion mirrors Millet’s own profound concern for culture and society. As Millet believed: "The life of peasants serves as a model in terms of religious and moral sentiments, just as painters do within the realm of aesthetics."