Burning Weeds — Vincent van Gogh

ABOUT THIS WORK

In "Burning Weeds," a lone figure toils in a field, the smoke from burning vegetation curling into the sky. This early work by Vincent van Gogh, created in 1883, captures a moment of arduous rural labor. The scene is rendered with a stark immediacy, reflecting the artist's focus on the lives of peasants and the harsh realities of their daily existence. The rough, almost raw quality of the lithograph emphasizes the earthiness of the subject, far removed from the vibrant colors and swirling brushstrokes that would characterize his later, more famous paintings. Here, the focus is on the elemental struggle between humanity and nature, a theme Van Gogh explored extensively in his early Dutch period. The controlled lines and dense shading create a sense of weight and gravity, drawing the viewer into the quiet, smoky atmosphere of the field.

DETAILS

Artist: Vincent van Gogh
Date: 1883
Medium: Transfer lithograph with pen and ink
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dimensions: Sheet: 7 1/4 × 11 9/16 in. (18.4 × 29.3 cm)
Collection: Drawings and Prints
Credit line: Purchase, Fletcher Fund, William R. Drexler Sr. and Violet Drexler Bequest, The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, and The Derald H. Ruttenberg Foundation, in honor of Nadine M. Orenstein and Charles and Jessie Price Gifts, 2021

ART MOVEMENTS

Expressionism Post-Impressionism

LOOK CLOSER

What to Notice

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01

The bending digger

Look at the man bent almost double over his spade in the center. His curved back and heavy boots make the effort of the work feel physical.

1 of 5 on the painting

02

Woman resting on a barrow

On the left, a woman in a headcloth and long coat sits in a wheelbarrow with her hand raised to her face. Her slumped pose reads as tired or lost in thought, a quiet pause beside the man's effort.

2 of 5 on the painting

03

Sparks at the spade

Short, radiating lines flicker around the spade blade and the man's feet. They may suggest flying earth or rising smoke, and they link the digging to the burning.

3 of 5 on the painting

04

Distant figure with rake

Far to the right, a small figure stands holding a long rake beside thin wisps of smoke. Easy to miss, but this is the burning of weeds the title names.

4 of 5 on the painting

05

Stony, scratchy ground

The foreground is built from dense little marks and blocky shapes that read as clods and stones. The rough texture makes the soil feel hard to break.

5 of 5 on the painting

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THE ARTIST