Mower on the field c. 1909

Ferdinand Hodler made this drawing, Mower on the Field, in Switzerland, likely in the late 19th or early 20th century. It shows a man mowing a field, mountains looming behind him. Hodler lived in a time of rapid industrialization. In this context, it’s tempting to read his image of manual labor as a political statement. Does it critique the rise of machines? Is it a celebration of the common man? Perhaps Hodler is making a claim about Swiss national identity through the figure of the rural worker. The drawing is, after all, an idealized image of the mower. His body is strong and muscular, and he seems in harmony with the landscape around him. The image might be read alongside other artworks that glorified rural life and the values of hard work, independence, and connection to nature. These can be connected to conservative or progressive political positions, depending on who is doing the representing and why. To learn more, we can look at Hodler’s other work and writings, along with the cultural and political history of Switzerland at the time.