The Life of the Fields

St Barbe Museum + Art Gallery, Lymington

Step into the countryside through the eyes of some of Britain’s most celebrated artists in our new exhibition The Life of the Fields. This warm and evocative show explores how farming and rural life have been portrayed in art from 1900 to the present day.

Featuring work by much-loved artists like Stanley Spencer, Clare Leighton, Eric Ravilious and Evelyn Dunbar, the exhibition reflects on the deep connections between the land, its people and the ever-changing rhythms of country life. Whether it's peaceful patchwork fields, the grit of wartime agriculture, or the rise of modern machinery, each piece offers a window into a different moment in farming history.

The exhibition highlights a particularly rich period between the wars when artists found beauty and inspiration in barns, ploughs and harvests - even as farming itself faced tough economic times. You’ll also find moving wartime depictions by Edward Burra and Frank Newbould and post-war reflections from artists like C F Tunnicliffe, Claude Rogers and Carry Akroyd.

In more recent works, artists such as Chris Drury, Kurt Jackson, Kate Lynch and Julian Opie offer fresh perspectives on the countryside - some focusing on climate change, wildlife loss and the challenges faced by today’s farmers, while others celebrate the hope offered by more sustainable farming practices.

From delicate etchings to bold prints and colourful paintings, The Life of the Fields is a thoughtful and visually rich journey through our agricultural heritage. It includes important loans from national institutions like Tate, the Royal Academy and the Museum of English Rural Life and is accompanied by a beautifully illustrated hardback catalogue.

Whether you’re an art lover, a countryside enthusiast, or simply curious, this is a celebration of rural life not to be missed.

until 10 January 2026