Georges Seurat (1859-1891) was a French post-Impressionist artist. He devised the painting techniques known as chromoluminarism and pointillism and used conté crayon for drawings on paper with a rough surface.

This is an oil painting on wood panel (probably a mahogany cigar box lid), showing a ploughed field near Fontainebleau at sunset, with an orchard and farm buildings in the background. The artist regularly executed plein-air 'croquetons' (small sketches) such as this before commencing larger works. This work was painted soon after Seurat had completed his military service at Brest (1879-1880).