The artwork “Reaping” was created by Kazimir Malevich in 1911 and is part of the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement. This piece belongs to the genre of sketch and study and is a part of the 1st Peasant Cycle series.
The artwork depicts a group of peasants engaged in the act of reaping, characterized by simple, yet expressive lines indicative of Malevich’s primitive style. The figures are drawn with minimal detail, focusing on the essential forms and movements as they labor in the fields. Emphasis is placed on the rhythm and repetitive nature of their actions, with each individual bent over, absorbed in their work. The scene portrays a sense of communal effort and the routine of agrarian life, captured through a sketch that communicates both the physical exertion and the timelessness of the task at hand. The composition, devoid of elaborate background details, shifts the viewer’s focus entirely to the peasantry and their synchronized toil.
