Circle of stones near Tormore, Isle of Arran

About this work

This painting shows a lone shepherd riding a horse, herding a small flock of sheep through a grassy, rocky landscape. Towering stone pillars stand in the foreground, while distant hills and a dramatic, stormy sky fill the background. The colors are soft—greens, browns, and muted blues—with the sky’s dark clouds contrasting sharply with the lighter ground. The stones in the scene look like ancient standing stones, which were often used as landmarks or markers. The artist focused on the quiet, everyday life of rural work against a wild, dramatic sky. Look up Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.