The artwork titled “Reaper,” created by Vincent van Gogh in 1885 in Nuenen, Netherlands, is housed in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Rendered using chalk on paper, the piece belongs to the Realism art movement and falls under the genre of sketches and studies.
The artwork portrays a solitary figure engaged in the act of reaping. Van Gogh employs vigorous chalk strokes to manifest the dynamic and laborious movement of the reaper as he toils amidst a field of tall, swaying grasses. The figure, dressed in rugged work attire, including clogs and a hat that casts a shadow over his face, is depicted in a hunched posture, clearly focused on his task. The extensive use of linear detail and shading captures the texture of both the reaper’s clothing and the field. This sketch reflects Van Gogh’s dedication to illustrating the gritty reality of rural labor, emphasizing both the physicality and the somber mood associated with this vital agricultural activity. The background, subtly suggested by indistinct lines, serves to draw the viewer’s attention to the central figure, embodying the strength and perseverance needed for such labor.
