A Farmyard
- Artist: Isack van Ostade
- Date: about 1640
- Medium: oil on wood
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the "A Farmyard" by Isack van Ostade. Painted in the Dutch north around 1640, it's a beautiful example of a tranquil and atmospheric scene.
You'll notice the farmyard has a forsaken air to it - everything seems a bit abandoned and forgotten. Under an ancient oak tree, there's a patch of sunlight that picks out a wooden pen, with a shelf above holding an earthenware pot and a sieve. Behind them, you can see a cart wheel and a basket lying in an old shed.
But what really stands out is the level of detail. The painting has been rendered in meticulous care - every texture, every fold, every speckle is precisely painted. And if you look closely at the surrounding clutter, you'll notice just one thing moving - a hen and two cockerels pecking for food.
It's almost as if the artist wants to convey that even though this farmyard looks abandoned, it still has life - but only barely.
See it in person
A Farmyard hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
