Mowing in Manchester

I was in Manchester yesterday and, popping into the City Art Gallery on a whim, got a lovely surprise in the form of George Clausen's Old Reaper which I've admired many times in photos online but it was so much better in real life.

The movement in the man mowing is really great and the textures in the paint bring the weather and colours of the crop to life so much more than when seeing in on the screen.
The old Reaper by George Clausen

The outside of the Gallery has been transformed into a fantastic Lost Gardens of Manchester display in conjunction with the National Trust, including deck chairs where I enjoyed my lunch in some rare Manchester sun. I couldn't resist a snap of this wooden hay rake propped up in a corner.