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John Luke RUA (1906 - 1975)
The Harvesters (1938)
Gouache 32.5 x 30 cm (12.75 x 11.75”)
Signed
Exhibited: Northern Rhythm: The Art of John Luke, The Ulster Museum Belfast November 2012 - April
2013, Cat no 25
Literature: Northern Rhythm: The Art of John Luke, The Ulster Museum Belfast November 2012 - April
2013, Cat no 25 Full pg Illustration Pg 38
The 1930s were an important time of experimentation and development for Belfast artist John Luke.
He sought out and practised various art forms, including sculpture, print making and the meticulous
art of tempera painting. Meeting and working with other artists such as Paul Henry and Nevill
Johnson, this was a time of artistic inspiration and the artist finding where his numerous skills lay.
In the mid 1930s influenced by the foundation of the Society of Wood Engravers, Luke turned to
print-making and although his output was small, he did produce several successful colour woodcuts.
At the time of painting
‘The Harvesters’
he was studying Japanese prints and woodcuts, but also ap-
pears to have been influenced by poster design and bold commercial advertising.
This traditional subject of men harvesting and working in a field had been treated by many artists
over the years, from Pieter Brueghel in the 16th century to the social realism of Millet and early Van
Gogh. Luke had been to Paris for an influential and artistically inspiring trip two years previous to
painting this tableau, and may have been influenced by Continental scenes he saw there, judging by
the windmills in the background of this painting and the hard working figures he depicts in the field.
€3,000 -5,000