Artwork

The Farm Yard

The Farm Yard, by William Strang, ink, 1895
The Farm Yard, by William Strang, ink, 1895

The Farm Yard is an ink print by the Impressionist artist William Strang. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

The artist used lines and shading to show light and texture—notice how the hay looks almost three-dimensional.

This black-and-white print shows a quiet farm scene. A person is sweeping hay in a dirt yard, while two old stone buildings sit nearby. One has a peaked roof made of wooden shingles, and the other looks like a barn. In the background, a village with simple houses and a church tower sits against rolling hills.

The artist used lines and shading to show light and texture—notice how the hay looks almost three-dimensional. This was made in 1895, long before color printing.

Next, check out the technique: etching to see how artists like this carved images into metal plates.

Overview

The Farm Yard is a 1895 print by William Strang, a Scottish painter and printmaker, executed in etching with printed tone on laid paper.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a serene rural scene: a figure sweeps hay in a dirt yard surrounded by old stone buildings, with a village and rolling hills in the background. The composition conveys a sense of quiet, everyday life.

Technique & Style

Strang employed etching and printed tone to capture the textures and lighting of the scene, creating a detailed and nuanced representation of the farm yard. The use of black and white emphasizes the play of light and shadow.

History & Provenance

The Farm Yard is part of the National Gallery of Art's collection in Washington. Created in 1895, it reflects Strang's skill as an illustrator, honed through his work with literary figures like Bunyan and Kipling.

Artist & collection

Portrait of William Strang

Artist

William Strang

William Strang (13 February 1859 – 12 April 1921) was a Scottish painter and printmaker, notable for illustrating the works of Bunyan, Cervantes, Coleridge, Kipling, and others.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.