Farm Scene 

Willard Metcalf created this untitled farm scene using oil on canvas. The artwork has a comforting and familiar atmosphere, mostly achieved through the composition and handling of light and color. Note how Metcalf uses a horizontal format, which typically suggests stability. The scene is neatly divided, with the lower half of the image occupied by a grassy bank and a stream, and the upper half by trees, fields and a building. This structured division creates a sense of order and visual harmony. The scene is captured using a mosaic of brushstrokes, color and light. The light seems to dance across the painting's surface, animating it with a sense of movement and life. This reminds us that, for Metcalf, the act of painting was not simply about representing a scene but about exploring perception itself. The material quality of the paint and the loose brushstrokes underscore the subjective nature of vision.