“The Angelus” painting by Jean Francois Millet,
Jean-François Millet's The Angelus (1857–1859) depicts a man and woman praying in a potato field at sunset, their faces obscured by the backlight. The painting commemorates the Angelus prayer, recited to honor the angel Gabriel's annunciation to Mary, and marks the end of the workday. The couple's tools are scattered around them, and a church spire is visible in the distance.