We Are Resting

Copied Grandma Moses, We Are Resting, 1951, oil on high-density fiberboard, overall: 24 × 30 in. (61 × 76.2 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Kallir Family, in Memory of Hildegard Bachert, 2019.55, © Grandma Moses Properties Co., NY

Artwork Details

Title
We Are Resting
Artist
Date
1951
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
overall: 24 × 30 in. (61 × 76.2 cm)
Copyright
© Grandma Moses Properties Co., NY
Credit Line
Gift of the Kallir Family, in Memory of Hildegard Bachert
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on high-density fiberboard
Classifications
Subjects
  • Occupation — farm — farmer
  • Recreation — leisure — conversation
  • Animal — cattle
  • Animal — bird — chicken
  • Recreation — sport and play — fishing
  • Figure group
  • Landscape — road
  • Landscape — farm
  • Landscape — lake
Object Number
2019.55
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/2019.55

Artwork Description

In We Are Resting, we see a rare moment during the growing season when farmers take a break from their work. Moses's lush late-summer views of her farm are often called the "green paintings," and, in keeping with the season, they are overwhelmingly work-oriented.

This work's green hues convey a restorative sense of calm and immersion in the natural world, inviting viewers to share the satisfying sense of slowing down after a long day. In contrast to her bustling paintings of upstate New York in winter and her storm scenes, the moment is serene. Cool blue-green fields, fully leafed trees browning in distant patches, and people dressed for dropping temperatures suggest the days of late summer.

 Exhibition Label for Grandma Moses: A Good Day's Work October 24, 2025 -- July 12, 2026