Harvesters in the fields above the Valley of the Lune, Cumbria

The scale and level of finish indicates that the present watercolour must be an exhibited piece, although it has not been possible to track down the details. De Wint has used his favourite and preferred elongated format to depict a pre-industrial harvesting scene in the extensive rolling Cumbrian landscape. The corn has been cut with hand hooks or sickles, seen in the centre foreground. The sheaves of corn are tied with bands of twisted straw and we can see that the men and women work in pairs; the women would twist the bands as the men gather in the corn. The fact that this watercolour depicts a pre-industrial harvesting scene before the introduction of the horse drawn reaper would date the picture to the 1820s so was probably painted while de Wint was staying at Lowther with the Earl of Lonsdale. Comparable harvesting scenes in the same elongated format to which this subject was so ideally suited entitled Harvesting and A Cornfield are illustrated in W. Armstrong, Memoir of Peter de Wint, London, 1888, pls. 7 and 22 respectively.

Ruskin described the valley of the Lune as 'one of the loveliest scenes in England, therefore in the world. Whatever moorland, hill and sweet river, and English forest foliage can be at their best is gathered there .... I do not know in all my own country, still less in France and Italy, a place more naturally divine, or a more priceless possession....'

We are grateful to John Ellis for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.