Hay harvesting was a recurring theme for Impressionist painters, with Monet's extensive hay bale series being perhaps the most well-known. His series examined the same field of bales throughout different seasons, weather conditions, and times of day to examine how light changes in a composition. In this painting by French artist Pierre Montezin, the early morning sun hasn't quite risen over the treetops in the distance and the dewy grass is the bright green of mid-Summershows. Three figures are out in the field with scythes, rakes, and hoes, harvesting the crop and piling it into bales. Off to one side, a small herd of cows grazes in the shade. Provenance: Galerie Felix Vercel, New York.
