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The Downs from Friston

Alfred Hayward

1940

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Early Modern Landscape

Dominant colour

The Downs from Friston 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 rolling hills, a winding path, and a line of trees in the distance. The colors are soft—light blues, greens, and yellows—with a pale sky that looks warm. The brushstrokes are loose, almost sketchy, giving it a quick, natural feel. The painting was made in June 1940, a time when many artists turned to landscapes for comfort. The artist signed it in the corner, but the style feels simple and unpolished, like a quick note from nature. If you like this kind of loose, outdoor painting, check out Victoria and Albert Museum for more works like it.

The story of this work

Overview

This watercolour by Alfred Hayward depicts a rural landscape titled *The Downs from Friston*, created as part of the *Recording Britain* project during the Second World War. The work was commissioned by the Committee for the Employment of Artists in Wartime to document the British home front, capturing scenes of national identity such as villages, landscapes, and historic sites. Funded by the Pilgrim Trust and overseen by Sir Kenneth Clark, the initiative aimed to preserve the visual record of a changing countryside amid wartime threats and modernization. The collection, comprising over 1,500…

Read the full account in the museum source.