Visual Analysis of "Haymaking" Painting by Léon-Augustin Lhermitte (Essay Sample)

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"Haymaking" Painting by Léon-Augustin Lhermitte Visual Analysis
Introduction
I was excited about this assignment and decided to visit the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, where there was a huge collection of artwork from ancient and modern artists. Almost all the works I sampled were captivating, but I settled on one which caught my attention the most: Haymaking painting by Léon-Augustin Lhermitte. The French artist created the piece between 1884 and 1925, and according to a note below the painting, he was famous for depicting rural life in most of his paintings (Van Gogh Museum). Besides, the painting won the Grand Prix award at the World Exhibition of 1889 in Paris. I studied the painting, read the attached notes, and asked questions about it to understand it better, as presented in my description, analysis, interpretation, and judgment.
Description
Looking at the painting, I imagined myself in the middle of a family's hay harvesting. It shows the rural life of a peasant farming family in the middle of their fieldwork. On the left front, an older farmer sits engrossed in his work using what looks like a sickle or scythe. His arms are muscular, as seen through his folded shirt. Behind him, a woman lies on the ground