This charming late 19th-century oil painting by English artist Edward Robert Smythe (1810-1899) depicts a ramshackle farmhouse with a woman tending to her daily chores.

Smythe had a particular fondness for the old cottages and farm buildings of his native Suffolk. The more weathered and crooked, the better, it seems. And this delightful little farmhouse, with its exposed timberwork, sagging roof and crumbling plaster, is precisely the sort of building that captured his imagination.

Beneath a bright, cloud-filled sky, the cottage sits surrounded by trees and overgrown vegetation. A ladder rests against the wall, while a great stack of hay occupies much of the foreground. Its upper surface is protected by a makeshift covering, with an assortment of colourful fabrics draped over one side, presumably to keep the precious hay dry.

Further along the path, a woman in a red skirt bends over a wooden tub, absorbed in her work. Nearby, chickens wander freely across the yard, while a pair of ducks rests in the shade. Earthenware jars, potted plants and various pieces of household clutter complete the scene.

Smythe's treatment of this humble old building is typically affectionate. Every crooked beam, uneven tile and makeshift repair seems worthy of his attention. He's found beauty in the practical realities of a working rural home.

The painting is also a fine example of his lively brushwork, particularly evident in the textured plaster, richly worked foliage and soft, billowing clouds. These details suggest an artist who took genuine pleasure in observing the countryside, finding as much interest in an old farmhouse as others might in a grand country estate.

One suspects that Smythe would have walked straight past a perfectly maintained cottage in favour of this rather eccentric old survivor.

Signed and inscribed 'Ipswich', and presented in a decorative gilt frame.

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