Samuel Palmer, 1805–1881, British, active in Italy (1837–39)
Title:
The Harvest Moon
Date:
ca. 1833
Materials & Techniques:
Oil on paper, laid on panel
Dimensions:
8 3/4 × 10 7/8 inches (22.2 × 27.6 cm)
Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1977.14.65
Gallery Label:
Samuel Palmer was one of the most innovative artists in the early nineteenth century, producing visionary works that were inspired by his deep religious faith. This small picture of harvesting by moonlight encapsulates Palmer’s romantic vision of country life. A brilliantly lit full moon shines in the night sky, giving the laborers extra time to gather their harvest. But this idyllic vision of the countryside was far removed from the actual conditions of agricultural laborers during this period. Prolonged recession after the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 and the introduction of new machinery led to widespread unemployment and severe unrest.\n\n Gallery Label for installation of permanent YCBA collection, 2016
