Harvest in Provence, at the Left Montmajour 1888

Vincent van Gogh made this drawing, Harvest in Provence, at the Left Montmajour, with pen and ink and watercolor. The subject is a rural landscape with a field during harvest season, with haystacks in the left and left Montmajour in the background. Across cultures, the haystack can be seen as an ancient symbol of agricultural abundance and the cycle of life. It can also be found in Egyptian hieroglyphs, representing the provision of sustenance and bounty. In the Middle Ages, it became a potent symbol in illuminated manuscripts, signifying the fruits of labor and divine blessing. The enduring allure of the haystack motif lies in its capacity to evoke primordial emotions, the cycle of sowing, reaping, and renewal, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. Throughout history, the haystack has resurfaced, evolving from a symbol of sustenance to a potent emblem of fertility, divine grace, and the enduring human connection to the soil.