Haystacks near a Farm 1888

Vincent van Gogh created 'Haystacks near a Farm' using reed pen and ink. The drawing presents a pastoral scene filled with detailed textures and undulating forms. Dominating the foreground are the haystacks, rendered with dense, rhythmic lines that convey their volume and tactile quality. The pen strokes evoke a sense of movement, as though the hay is almost alive. Notice how the lines create patterns that shift and change across the surface. This treatment extends to the fields, where individual blades of grass are suggested by short, energetic marks. The overall effect is a cohesive visual field, uniting foreground and background through a shared language of line and texture. Van Gogh uses this technique to flatten the pictorial space, challenging traditional perspective. The uniform application of line and the elimination of strong tonal contrasts create a surface-oriented composition. In this way, Van Gogh not only represents the physical world but also explores the expressive potential of the medium. The drawing becomes a meditation on the act of seeing and marking, inviting us to reconsider how we perceive and interpret the world around us.