His sermon

The Sower

Arles, November 1888

Oil on burlap on canvas,

73.5x93cm

Zurich, Foundation Collection

E.G. Buhrle

The saint of the future; the Sower. There is a halo or the rising sun behind his head as he casts seeds in the violet shadows of early morning. "As sow so shall ye reap"; this is a sermon by Vincent. The canvas is divided nearly in half sky being brilliantly painted in flecks of cadmium red to yellow hints of green and small cream clouds float lightly. The blooming plum in the foreground speaks to the Japanese influence. The subject, the Sower, is homage to Millet, who, Vincent greatly admired. The colorization is the first indication of Gauguin’s presence. The dabbled vibrant violet shadows beside warm tones and pale green is very Gauguin. Indeed, Gauguin was visiting Vincent. Vincent had hopes of a society of painters in Arles. He thought of himself as sewing the seeds for the new town on the horizon. The fabric this painting was done on was Gauguin’s preferred surface; rough burlap. It is a very pleasant painting the graceful curving branches of the plum tree echo the curves of the rising sun/halo and the movements of the farmer. There is still old fruit on the plum tree waiting to be harvested or fall to earth unused. The tree has been recently pruned and the open wound on the missing branch is close to center. Paris; he was so over that town.