Haymakers at Montfermeil

Georges Seurat

National Gallery of Art

Two loosely painted people stand side by side in a field as they rake with their backs to us in this horizontal painting. The brushstrokes are soft and textured, and the details are loosely rendered, giving the scene a hazy appearance. Both people appear to wear long skirts, shirts, and head coverings in shades or pearl white, periwinkle, or sky blue. Peach-coloration on their hands suggests they are pale-skinned. They each hold a long-handled tool and look down at the ground as they work. The field they stand in is painted in shades of fresh green with strokes of teal blue and muted yellow, and the ground beneath their feet is covered in earthy brown and tan tones, suggesting a layer of leaves or soil. A darker green band along the top of the painting suggests a line of trees on the far side of a grassy field.