During the harvest, a peasant's workday could last from the early hours of the morning until well into the evening, punctuated only by meal times and a rest from the sun at midday. Here, a man and woman lay in the shade of a haystack. The wheat sheaves to their right mirror their pose, while the pairs of sickles, shoes, and distant cows all reinforce the theme of companionship.
This work was one of the first in a group of pastels commissioned by Emile Gavet, a wealthy Parisian patron of Millet. While Gavet provided the materials, he was happy to let Millet choose the subject matter. Here, the artist uses black crayon and yellow pastel to create the wheat’s texture, while the buff colored paper enhances the composition’s golden tones.

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