“Sower with Setting Sun” is an artwork by Vincent Van Gogh, created in 1888 utilizing ink on paper. This piece is categorized within the Post-Impressionism movement and serves as a sketch and study, measuring 64 x 80.5 cm. This notable artwork is currently housed at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and was crafted in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France.
The artwork portrays a solitary figure – the sower – engaged in sowing seeds in a vast field. A large, radiant sun hangs low in the sky, suggesting the time of day as the sun sets. The artist has expertly translated the intensity of the scene through energetic strokes and the contrast between the sun’s circular form and the angular, dynamic lines of the plowed earth. The figure of the sower is depicted in a rhythmic motion, with a sense of urgency that may be associated with the ending day. The horizon line is marked by a fence that separates the tilled field from what appears a row of trees or bushes in the background. The strong visual texture of the earth, crafted with a sense of movement through Van Gogh’s distinctive line work, reflects the labor-intensive process of manual farming, while the setting sun’s presence imbues the scene with an almost spiritual quality, a common motif in Van Gogh’s work. The entire composition resonates with themes of labor, nature, and the cycles of life—motifs that Van Gogh revisited in various forms throughout his career.
