The Hay Wain

The Hay Wain is decidedly one of the Gallery’s most “English” paintings. The painting appeals to a wide range of social classes and art experience primarily because of it’s depiction of the central daily life story.
Painted in 1821 the scene depicts a farmhouse on the edge of a stream near Flatford. It is true to nature in all senses and reflects the beauty of the English countryside on a summer day.  A hay-cart with two men, horses decorated with red tassles and a woman kneeling to fill her water pitcher stand out against the rich green of the trees.
The National Gallery of London is famous for display some of the most loved and most important drawing, sketches and paintings of the world. One of the most loved pieces is The Hay Wain by Constable.

With the use of color and light, Constable beautifully reflected ripples along the stream’s surface and use darker shadows in the clouds in the corner to indicate a possible storm approaching. An almost concealed fisherman is hidden on the right.
The simplistic, peaceful piece is loved by people across the UK for the perfect picture of a past way of life and an extremely realistic and accurate look at farm life in the country side and is considered one of Constable’s greatest achievements. The Hay Wain has become an icon of England.