Noon, rest from work (after Millet) 1890

Vincent van Gogh painted "Noon, rest from work (after Millet)" with oil on canvas to explore the lives of rural laborers. Van Gogh, known for his thick application of paint, uses impasto to build up a textured surface, mimicking the rough feel of the hay. The swirling brushstrokes imbue the scene with a sense of movement and energy, even in rest. The laborers, rendered in blues and whites, seem to melt into the golden field, highlighting their connection to the land. This painting, a copy of a work by Jean-François Millet, speaks to the back-breaking toil involved in agricultural work, and the preciousness of a midday break. The texture and luminosity of the paint remind us of the physicality of labor and the artist’s own hand in representing it. Looking closely at how Van Gogh represents the lives of working people makes us rethink any separation between art and craft, between high and low.