Artwork
Harvesters at Rest
Harvesters at Rest is an oil painting by the Naturalist artist Léon Augustin Lhermitte. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1894, Harvesters at Rest is an oil painting by French naturalist Léon Augustin Lhermitte. The work portrays a quiet moment among agricultural laborers in a verdant field and is part of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows three peasants taking a break: two men lie on the ground while a woman stands nearby, holding a long stick. Their simple clothing, white shirts, dark trousers for the men, and a white blouse with a blue skirt for the woman, emphasizes the modest, everyday reality of rural life.
Technique & Style
Lhermitte employs a naturalist approach, using earthy hues to convey warmth and the tactile quality of the landscape. The brushwork is relatively loose, lending the scene a spontaneous feel that captures the fleeting pause in the harvest routine.
History & Provenance
Since its completion, the painting has remained in public ownership, entering the National Gallery of Ireland where it is displayed as an example of late‑19th‑century French genre painting focused on peasant labor.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Léon Augustin Lhermitte (French pronunciation:; 31 July 1844 – 28 July 1925) was a French naturalist painter and etcher whose primary subject matter was rural scenes depicting peasants at work.
