In 1840, Millet found his life in Paris still so hard that heseemed for a time inclined to give up the attempt, and returned toGreville, where he painted a marine subject of the sort that wasdearest to his heart--a group of sailors mending a sail. Shortlyafter, however, he was back in Paris--the record of these years ofhard struggle is not very clear--with his wife, a Cherbourg childwhom he had imprudently married while still barely able to supporthimself in the utmost poverty. It was not till 1844 that the hard-working painter at last achieved his first success. It was with apicture of a waterwoman, one of his own favourite peasant subjects;and the poetry and sympathy which he had thrown into so commonplacea theme attracted the attention of many critics among thecultivated Parisian world of art. The "Milkwoman" was exhibited atthe Salon (the great annual exhibition of works of art in Paris,like that of the Royal Academy in London, but on a far largerscale); and several good judges of art began immediately toinquire, "Who is Jean Francois Millet?" Hunting his address out,a party of friendly critics presented themselves at his lodgings,only to learn that Madame Millet had just died, and that herhusband, half in despair, had gone back again once more to hisnative Norman hills and valleys.