Haystacks

Haystacks, a painting by Martin Johnson Heade (1871-1875), is part of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art collection. Measuring 0.559 meters wide and 0.254 meters high, the artwork depicts a tranquil landscape at sunset. 



The scene features a flat, grassy field with a large, round haystack prominently positioned in the middle ground. A small body of water, reflecting the sky and the haystack, stretches across the lower portion of the painting. In the distance, a low line of trees and hills is visible under a sky filled with fluffy, cumulus clouds, illuminated by the warm light of the setting sun. A single cow grazes peacefully in the far right of the field. The overall mood is serene and peaceful, characteristic of Heade's landscape style.