“The Reaper after Millet,” created by Vincent van Gogh in 1889 in France, is an oil painting on canvas that exemplifies the Post-Impressionism movement. This genre painting measures 25 x 43.5 cm and is housed in the Memorial Art Gallery at the University of Rochester, in Rochester, New York, United States.
The artwork depicts a solitary figure, a reaper, engrossed in his labor within a vibrant wheat field. The reaper is dressed in rustic attire, including a yellow straw hat that shadows his head, and loose garments that are hues of beige, blue, and green. He leans forward, gripping a scythe which appears ready to sweep through the golden stalks of wheat that surround him. The background is characterized by dynamic, swirling blue skies, indicative of Van Gogh’s distinctive brushwork and expressive use of color, creating a vivid contrast to the warm tones of the wheat field. The reaper, viewed from the back, conveys a sense of motion and toil, encapsulating the theme of rural labor and the rhythm of agricultural life.
