Woman lying on the corn

Although it is problematic to establish priorities, we can assume that the ink drawing from 1916-18 entitled The Reaper (or Sleeper, because the naked woman wearing a hat is reclining on some sheaves of corn) may be the immediate antecedent of this bas-relief, which reproduces a very similar image, although lying in the opposite direction, that is, to the left.

The subject and the image must have greatly interested Gargallo, because in 1924 he made two round sculptures - both titled Sleeper (or The Harvester) -, one larger and carved in stone (a unique piece that he left unfinished, perhaps due to the quality of the material) and another modeled to cast bronzes (an edition of which exists). And in 1932, maintaining this interest, he dedicated an excellent pastel to the same subject, which is perhaps one of his most notable non-sculptural works, due to the exceptional quality of the drawing and the very sensitive use of color.