The artwork titled “A Wheatfield on a Summer’s Afternoon,” created by Marc Chagall in 1942, is a symbolic painting rendered in tempera on canvas. It is part of the Aleko series and exemplifies the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement. Currently housed in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA, US, the artwork measures an impressive 914.4 by 1524 centimeters.
The artwork depicts a serene and evocative rural scene. Dominating the composition, a large, vivid red sun radiates warmth over a golden wheat field. At the center-left, a sickle is barely visible cutting through the dense field, signifying harvest. The use of vibrant yellows and reds enhances the summery ambiance, while a solitary figure in a blue boat appears on the right, symbolizing contemplation or journey. The scene, though simple, is imbued with a sense of symbolic depth and timelessness, characteristic of Chagall’s emotive and imaginative style.
