The Mower

• Georges Seurat (1859–1891)
• 1881–1882
• Oil on wood
• Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
• (1975.1.206)

A man swings a scythe in a field of wheat or hay. Georges Seurat divided the composition into three bands: at the top, dense green foliage in the distance; in the middle, upright golden stalks; and at the bottom, the cut stems rising to the worker’s ankles. The diagonal sweep of the scythe across the lower part of the panel introduces movement into an otherwise static scene. Seurat’s quick, colorful brushstrokes convey spontaneity and a modern sensibility.