Harvesting 1915

Zinaida Serebriakova, a Ukrainian painter, captured this scene, "Harvesting" with oil on canvas. The palette is muted, earthy tones, pinks, whites, and blacks; it is harmonious, but something about it feels staged. The artist’s mark-making is controlled, precise, each brushstroke carefully placed, as if composing a portrait rather than just documenting a moment in a field. The surface texture is relatively smooth, but you can sense the artist layering colors to achieve a sense of depth. Note the strands of wheat on the shoulders of one of the women. The use of light and shadow makes you wonder if these women are pausing to rest, or is this a romanticized vision of rural labor? The women's red scarves bind them together, and their heads are arranged almost as if posing for a lineup. In her self-portraits and paintings of ballet dancers, Serebriakova reveals an interest in femininity that adds a layer of complexity to the representation of women at work in "Harvesting." I’m also reminded of early works by Paula Modersohn-Becker, whose paintings offer a similarly intimate perspective on rural life and the female experience. It shows how artists can build on and respond to one another's work across time.