This work encompasses some of the artist`s favourite themes - landscape and the people who worked the land. The subject is a group of fieldworkers gathering hay and building ricks or haystacks. This is an oil painting in a gilt wood and plaster frame. The subject is a landscape, a view along a rivulet in a glen with an impressive, cloud studded sky. On the far bank of the burn figures work beside a haystack built underneath a hedge. WD MacKay (1844-1924) was born in Gifford and produced works inspired by his home district throughout his working life. He is best known for pastoral oil paintings but also worked in watercolour and pencil. He became librarian of the Royal Scottish academy in 1896 and was secretary from 1907 until his death.