Artwork
Peasant women in the field (study)
Peasant women in the field (study) is an oil painting by the Realist artist Martiros Saryan. It dates from 1914 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Armenia. Created in 1914, this oil painting portrays a group of women engaged in agricultural labor.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1914, this oil painting portrays a group of women engaged in agricultural labor. Their backs face the viewer as they bend over the soil, each holding a tool. Traditional attire—bright headscarves and long skirts—adds color, while distant haystacks suggest a cultivated landscape. The composition conveys a calm, diligent atmosphere of rural work.
Subject & Meaning
The work focuses on peasant women performing field duties, emphasizing the collective effort of agrarian life. By omitting facial details, the artist directs attention to the physical act of cultivation rather than individual identity, highlighting the broader social role of women in sustaining the countryside.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, the painting employs a realist approach characteristic of early 20th‑century Armenian art. Broad, flat areas of color define the figures and background, while subtle tonal variations suggest depth. The brushwork balances detail in the clothing with a more generalized rendering of the landscape, reinforcing the scene’s everyday quality.
History & Provenance
The piece belongs to the collection of the National Gallery of Armenia. It was produced during a period when the artist was establishing a modern Armenian national school of painting, reflecting his interest in documenting local customs and environments.
Context
The artist, born in 1880 in Nakhichevan-on-Don, frequently traveled throughout Armenia and the Middle East, drawing inspiration from rural settings. This study aligns with his broader oeuvre, which often captures the interplay between people and the Armenian landscape, contributing to a visual record of early 20th‑century peasant life.
Artist & collection
Artist
Martiros Saryan (Armenian: Մարտիրոս Սարյան; Russian: Мартиро́с Сарья́н; 28 February 1880 – 5 May 1972) was an Armenian painter, People's Artist of the USSR (1960), member of the USSR Academy of Fine Arts (1947),…
