The artwork titled “The Sower Outskirts of Arles in the Background,” created by Vincent van Gogh in 1888 in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France, is an oil painting on canvas. This composition, which belongs to the Cloisonnism art movement, measures 33 x 40 cm and is categorized as a genre painting. Currently, the artwork is housed in the Hammer Museum at the University of California in Los Angeles, CA, US.
The artwork vividly depicts a solitary sower working in a vast, dark field, accompanied by the bright, yellow background portraying the Arles cityscape. The painting is characterized by bold, expressive brushstrokes and the use of contrasting colors, a hallmark of van Gogh’s style. The sky is rendered in a striking yellow hue, contrasting sharply with the dark tones of the field and the blue-purple foreground, drawing attention to the sower dressed in muted tones. The distant houses and figures in the background subtly anchor the composition, emphasizing the vastness of the landscape and the effort involved in the sower’s toil. This dynamic interplay of color and form contributes to the emotional depth and realism of the artwork.
