Created from high-quality wood, milled with simple clean lines and presented with a satin finish. Includes an off-white mount that will not discolour or fade with age. - Simple, elegant design - Premium, fine art paper with a gently textured surface - Handmade by specialist picture framers - FSC certified off-white mat / window mount - Delivered ready for hanging

"The Siesta" (La Méridienne) by Vincent van Gogh is a tranquil and intimate portrayal of rural life, steeped in the post-impressionist style that Van Gogh famously championed. Painted in 1890, this work is one of the last major pieces created by the artist before his untimely death. It is currently housed in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, France.

The painting captures a peaceful moment of rest taken by a peasant couple during the heat of the midday. The figures are seen lying in the foreground on a pile of golden, harvested wheat. Their working tools; a sickle, a pitchfork, and a shared meal placed beside them, and a pair of shoes indicate their hardworking nature and simplicity of their lifestyle. The man's body is stretched out lazily on his back while the woman nestles comfortably next to him, both lost in the respite.

The composition is based on an earlier drawing by Jean-François Millet, titled "Noon – Rest from Work". Van Gogh admired Millet's work profoundly, seeing in it a compassionate representation of peasant life, something that deeply resonated with his own feelings towards the common man. However, Van Gogh’s rendition adds a unique vibrancy and emotional intimacy that is distinctly his own.

In "The Siesta", Van Gogh uses his distinctive, bold brushstrokes and a vivid color palette to recreate the scene. The heavy, swirling strokes of golden yellow animate the mound of wheat, contrasting with the serene blues and purples of the sleeping figures' clothing. The shadows cast by the nearby haystacks are painted in deep, warm tones, punctuating the scene’s intensity with dramatic emphasis.

"The Siesta" belongs to the period when Van Gogh was staying at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. This was a highly productive time in his career despite, or perhaps because of, his mental health struggles. His work from this time often reflects a raw emotional depth and a connection to the rural landscapes and people around him.

From an art historical perspective, "The Siesta" is a testament to Van Gogh’s ability to transform Millet’s quiet realism into his own expressive, nearly dreamlike interpretation. It exhibits Van Gogh's fascination with color and his innovative brushwork, which would later influence numerous 20th-century artists and earn him a posthumous prominence in the art world.

Noteworthy too is Van Gogh’s thematic focus in "The Siesta". The depiction of simple peasant life ties into the broader impressionist and post-impressionist movements' exploration of everyday subjects, but Van Gogh enhances this with a union of pathos and reverence. The painting is a serene yet powerful homage to human endurance and the serene moments of respite that punctuate laborious lives.

In sum, "The Siesta" is not merely a depiction of rest but a poignant, vibrantly colored snapshot capturing the harmonious pause in the relentless cycle of work, a reflection of Van Gogh’s profound empathy and visionary artistry.