The gleaners after Jean-François Millet (2008)

Description of the Work: "The Gleaners after Jean-François Millet, 2008"

Homage and Irony: The Classic Revisited in Scholte's Embroidery

"The Gleaners after Jean-François Millet" is a pivotal work in Rob Scholte's oeuvre, created in 2008. This $32 \text{ x } 42 \text{ cm}$ canvas tapestry blends homage to classical art with contemporary conceptual critique, re-enacting the famous scene from Jean-François Millet's masterpiece (The Gleaners).

The work is an integral part of the Embroidery series, through which Scholte strives to restore value and recognition to anonymous and traditional embroidery, often devalued in favor of mass-produced art. The artist transforms the patient and meticulous craftsmanship, originally intended for domestic use, into a high-concept work of art. The choice to replicate an icon like The Gleaners is no coincidence: it emphasizes the manual labor and toil of both the original subject and the anonymous embroiderer.

As is typical for this series, Scholte exposes the reverse side of the embroidery, emphasizing the rough finish and structural complexity of the fabric, authenticated by her signature and date on the back. This conceptual gesture elevates the piece and places it within the context of contemporary art.

"The Gleaners after Jean-François Millet, 2008" comes from the private collection of Paolo Ruoti and was exhibited at the 2016 "Embroidery Show" exhibition at the renowned Museum de Fundatie in Zwolle. The work is registered in the official archive of Rob Scholte and is accompanied by a photographic certificate.

Rob Scholte embroidery: The gleaners after Millet (2008), canvas-backed tapestry. Conceptual work from the Embroidery series. Authentication and provenance from a private collection.