Postcard with Two Peasants Digging

Postcard with Two Peasants Digging by Vincent van Gogh, executed in 1885, provides an intimate glimpse into the artist's early fascination with the lives of rural laborers. Classified as a drawing, this particular work utilizes pen and rich brown ink applied directly to the surface of a postal card, demonstrating the artist’s pragmatic use of readily available materials for observational studies. This technique highlights the quick, energetic nature of the sketch, relying on stark contrast and expressive, hatched lines characteristic of the artist's emerging draftsmanship.

Originating from the Dutch tradition of depicting social realism, the piece reflects Gogh's deep commitment during the mid-1880s to illustrating the struggles and dignity of working-class individuals, a subject influenced by the work of artists such as Jean-François Millet. The two figures, bent low over their digging, symbolize the physically demanding and relentless nature of agricultural existence. Unlike the highly colored, expressive canvases for which he later became famous, Gogh here relies on form and texture defined purely through the linear application of ink, meticulously capturing the figures’ bulky clothing and the rugged texture of the soil.

Produced during the intense artistic period spanning the years 1876 to 1900, this drawing serves as a vital record of the early stages of Gogh’s technical development before his move toward the intense color palette of Post-Impressionism. The focus on preparatory drawing reveals his dedication to mastering figural representation. This significant piece is maintained as part of the extensive collection at the National Gallery of Art. Due to its cultural importance and historical provenance, the original work and high-quality prints derived from it are frequently made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring broad access to the fundamental works of the artist.