The artwork, titled “Two peasant women digging potatoes,” was created by Vincent van Gogh in 1885 in Nuenen, Netherlands. This oil on canvas piece belongs to the Realism movement and depicts a genre scene. The painting is currently housed at the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, Netherlands.
The artwork portrays two peasant women engrossed in the laborious task of digging potatoes. Both figures are shown bending over with shovels in their hands, dutifully attending to their rural chore. Their dark clothing blends with the earthy tones of the ground, signifying the somber, strenuous nature of their work. The background showcases a sparse landscape with bare trees and a cloudy sky, which further emphasizes the harsh conditions. The overall composition and muted color palette reflect the realism movement’s focus on representing everyday life, capturing the dignity and hardship inherent in manual labor.
