The Sower is one of Van Gogh's most striking paintings He created it just two years before his death when he was living in Arles with Paul Gauguin

Vincent took inspiration from this series from Jean-François Millet, as both artists shared a special interest in peasant life and wanted to paint them with respect and authenticity

Vincent was highly inspired by Millet's work, especially The Sower, so he created more than 30 drawings and paintings on the theme

Some of them were direct copies, some had minor changes, and some he made entirely his own

Like here, you can see Millet's influence but the painting is distinctly Van Gogh's 

Notice the position of the sun and how it frames the sower like a halo

In this version, titled Sower at Sunset, you're drawn to the painting's striking colors and thick blobs of paint 

This is a stark departure from Millet's approach to The Sower, which was much darker and without contrast

The differences between the two artists are evidence that although Vincent created his own style he always kept the influence of Millet