Farm Near Horsey, Norfolk 1885

This is "Farm Near Horsey, Norfolk," painted by Henry Herbert La Thangue, using oil on canvas. The visible brushstrokes tell us a lot about the artist’s engagement with the material. See how La Thangue built up layers of paint to evoke the texture of the field. The brushstrokes are thick and directional, giving a real sense of the growth, and the manual labor required to harvest it. Consider also the social context. La Thangue was interested in rural life and labor, and often painted scenes of agricultural workers. He chose to depict the landscape in a way that emphasizes the human presence, not just the idyllic beauty of nature, but a landscape transformed by intensive labor. Ultimately, this painting reminds us that even a seemingly simple landscape is the result of a complex interaction between humans and the natural world. It challenges us to look beyond the surface and consider the social and economic forces that shape our environment.