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Ashburnham Park; looking into the Weald towards Brightling

Alfred Hayward

1940

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Early Modern Landscape

Dominant colour

Ashburnham Park; looking into the Weald towards Brightling is a 1940 watercolor by Alfred Hayward, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Alfred Hayward
When & what style?: 1940
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This watercolor shows a quiet countryside scene with rows of trees and rolling hills. The sky is pale with soft clouds, and the ground is mostly light green and brown. A narrow path or road cuts through the middle, leading toward distant trees. The artist used loose, sketchy brushstrokes to suggest depth and light. The colors are muted, giving the scene a calm, almost dreamy feel. Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.

The story of this work

Overview

This watercolour by Alfred Hayward depicts a view of Ashburnham Park in Sussex, looking toward the Weald and Brightling. Created in 1940 as part of the Recording Britain project, it captures a rural English landscape during a period of wartime concern for documenting the nation’s topography. The work reflects broader efforts to record places perceived as vulnerable to wartime damage or modernization. It is one of over 1,500 artworks produced by 97 artists under a scheme initiated by Sir Kenneth Clark to support artists and preserve traditional British art forms.

Read the full account in the museum source.