Artwork
Through the Corn
Through the Corn is an oil painting by the Realist artist William Quiller Orchardson. It dates from 1859 and is held in the collection of the National Galleries Scotland.
About this work
Overview
William Quiller Orchardson’s 1859 oil painting *Through the Corn* depicts a quiet rural scene. The work is part of the Scottish National Gallery’s holdings and exemplifies the artist’s interest in portraying ordinary moments with a restrained, realistic approach.
Subject & Meaning
At the centre of the canvas a woman in a long brown skirt carries a child on her back. The child, dressed in a white shirt, clutches the woman’s head with both arms. The intimate pose and the warm, domestic atmosphere suggest themes of maternal care and everyday labor.
Technique & Style
Orchardson employs a muted palette of earth tones, allowing the figures to stand out against a field of tall, yellowish grass and a soft blue sky. The brushwork is smooth and controlled, characteristic of mid‑nineteenth‑century Realism, emphasizing clarity of form over dramatic effect.
History & Provenance
The painting was created early in Orchardson’s career, before he became widely known for portraiture and historical subjects. It entered the Scottish National Gallery’s collection, where it remains on display as a representative example of his early genre work.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sir William Quiller Orchardson (27 March 1832 – 13 April 1910) was a Scottish portraitist and painter of domestic and historical subjects who was knighted in June 1907, at the age of 75.
Voltaire (1694 - 1778)
The Rivals
Miss Joanna Isabella Dick
The Queen of the Swords
The Artist's Wife (Ellen Moxon, Lady Orchardson, 1853 - 1917)
Study of the Artist's daughter Hilda Orchardson (born 1875) and one of her younger brothers
The first cloud
The Artist's Wife (Ellen Moxon, later Lady Orchardson, c 1854 - 1917)
