Reaper

Vincent van Gogh’s Reaper, part of a series featuring a man reaping a wheat field under a luminous early-morning sun, captures the cycle of life and death. Van Gogh viewed the reaper as a symbol of death, suggesting that "humanity would be the wheat being reaped." Despite this, he described the scene as "almost smiling" and bathed in golden light. This work originated from his sketch and study using chalk on paper, before being rendered in oil on canvas. Van Gogh’s approach aligns with his focus on Realism, capturing the vibrant energy of the landscape in broad daylight.