“Peasant with Sickle, Seen from the Back,” created in 1885 by Vincent van Gogh in Nuenen, Netherlands, is a chalk on paper artwork exemplifying the Realism movement. This sketch, classified as a study, is housed in the Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, Netherlands.
The artwork depicts a detailed and expressive figure of a peasant, viewed from behind, holding a sickle. The peasant is attired in simple, rugged clothing appropriate for agricultural labor, including a broad hat that shadows the head. Van Gogh’s mastery of chalk allows for intricate textures, demonstrating the rough fabric of the man’s garments and the wild, unkempt fields around him. Each stroke conveys a sense of movement and toil, emphasizing the physicality of the peasant’s labor. The sketch’s composition and perspective effectively highlight both the dignity and the harshness of rural life.
