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The Sower, 1888
By the artist's estimation, this depiction of a sower silhouetted against an enormous sun was among his most important works from Arles. Mostly working in the studio, he fused motifs from other artists and Japanese prints with his own observations of nature. By placing the huge disc of the sun behind the figure of the sower, he created a powerfully expressive image with symbolic content and Christian overtones.
Oil on canvas
Sammlung Emil Bührle, on long-term loan at Kunsthaus Zurich