Reaper with Sickle (after Millet) 1889

Vincent van Gogh created "Reaper with Sickle (after Millet)" in the late 19th century, using oil on canvas. This work, like others from this period, reveals Van Gogh's deep engagement with the laboring classes, influenced by his own experiences and socialist leanings. Van Gogh was deeply moved by Jean-François Millet's depictions of rural life and sought to emulate his focus on the dignity of peasant labor. We see a solitary figure, bent over, engaged in the arduous task of harvesting, his body straining. This posture becomes a symbol of the physical toll exacted by agricultural work. Van Gogh once wrote, "What I dream of in my art is difficult, and yet, instead of yielding to discouragement, it makes me want to dare things." This piece embodies that daring, transforming Millet's social realism into a more emotionally charged scene. The painting acts as a social commentary, highlighting the often unseen and underappreciated labor upon which society depends, while also reflecting Van Gogh's personal empathy and connection to the working class.