Haymaking, Acock’s Green, Birmingham

Medium: Oil on canvas

Provenance: Signed

Dated: 190-5

Image Dimensions: 18" x 14" (45.7cm x 35.6cm)

Price: £2,950.00

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This evocative landscape by David Bates (1840–1921) captures “Haymaking at Acock’s Green, Birmingham” with the rustic sincerity that defined the Worcester School. Bates was a master of the English countryside, and this work serves as a significant historical document of a lost pastoral era. Technically, the painting is a triumph of textural detail and stippled brushwork, with Bates’ achievement lying in his ability to render the dry, brittle quality of the hay against the lush, heavy foliage of the surrounding trees. He employs a vibrant, “honest” palette, using sharp highlights to mimic the prickle of summer heat on the field. The figures are integrated with a naturalism that avoids being overly picturesque, showcasing his skill in balancing human activity with the dominant forces of the natural world.