Artwork
Seed Time
Seed Time is an oil painting by the British Romanticist artist John Frederick Herring. It dates from 1855 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Seed Time is an oil painting depicting a mid-19th-century agricultural scene in Kent, showcasing ploughing and sowing activities under warm sunlight.
Subject & Meaning
The painting illustrates traditional farming practices of the era, emphasizing the laborious process of seed planting. It was designed to complement a harvest scene, together narrating the cyclical nature of agriculture.
Technique & Style
The artist employed glazing techniques to capture the vivid, sunny atmosphere, imbuing the picturesque Kent landscape with depth and warmth.
History & Provenance
Limited information is available on the painting's history and ownership timeline, though its creation context as part of a paired narrative is noted.
Context
Created in the mid-19th century, Seed Time reflects the artistic interest in rural life and the technological state of agriculture during this period.
Legacy
While not widely renowned as a standalone piece, Seed Time contributes to the historical record of 19th-century agricultural practices and artistic depictions of rural English life.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Frederick Herring’s paintings smell like hay and horse sweat. The son of a coachman, he spent his days sketching the horses he mucked out, until the animals he loved too much started trotting into the Royal Academy…
A Funen Landscape at Harvest Time with Wedellsborghoved in the Background
Landscape near Holmstrup, Zealand
Carting seaweed on the coast of Guernsey
The Milkmaid
Wooded Country Landscape with Figures in a Cart
The Etsch Valley near Roveredo
Landscape with a pond
A Bog with Peat Cutters. Høsterkøb, North Zealand
Beneath the Birches. Motif from Mälaren
Milking scene. Illustrating a poem by Christian Winther
View of a Street in Østerbro outside Copenhagen. Morning Light
Seed Time