The striking circular shape of this work is by no means the most interesting thing about this painting. This idyllic vignette of country life is in fact far-removed from the reality of nineteenth-century Birmingham and is thus very revealing of Victorian attitudes towards the countryside and towards landscape painting in general. By the mid- to late 1800s Birmingham’s reputation as the powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution was set. Despite appearances, Hamstead was the site of one of the largest cotton mills in the city and was a busy hub of activity. Nevertheless the artist has chosen to focus on a small area of woodland, Handsworth Wood, on the outskirts of Hamstead. The version of Birmingham Hughes presents us with is one untouched by technological advancements, where rosy-cheeked peasants wander country lanes and livestock roam freely in picturesque surroundings.