Lent, Week 5, During his lifetime, Vincent van Gogh painted a number of works with the sower and with wheat fields. This particular image is one of the sower with the setting sun, and stands out by the Japanese-style tree transecting the image. The use of color is also remarkable: the yellow sun, green sky, pink clouds, purple fields, the black-blue tree and the blue-green figure give us a surreal color palette. We feel it’s the end of a cold day, despite the large sun. The surreal colors also hint at an otherworldly reality. The image is deeply evocative of death and letting go, though the subject matter of sowing seeds also brings with it the themes of hope and anticipation of new life. To view & learn more visit: https://www.loyolapress.com/our-catholic-faith/liturgical-year/lent/arts-and-faith-for-lent/cycle-b/arts-and-faith-week-5-of-lent-cycle-b