Description
Although the work cannot have been painted in the open air due to its large dimensions, Daubigny certainly tried to capture the fleeting reality of a Summer day in the country. The work stands out for its light colors and loose brushstrokes. Many other painters of the Barbizon School used a much darker palette. Daubigny showed himself to be a forerunner of the Impressionists. This is especially evident around the horizon, where only a few horizontally placed brushstrokes, each of a different color, can be seen.
In this painting, the whole countryside is marked out in blue squares that seems like a chessboard. All of the activities are picturesquely grouped around a golden blaze such as men doubled over, women hurrying along the narrow paths, and people stooking sheaves of corn and loading carts.
Bibliography
The Harvest (Daubigny), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Harvest_(Daubigny)&oldid=1094009336 (last visited Aug. 11, 2022).
