Although Vincent van Gogh was lonely in Drenthe, he was taken with its desolate landscape. He was particularly fascinated by the contrasts of light and dark in these natural surroundings. He described this painting as ‘a little delicate green wheatfield in the foreground and withered grasses behind the cottage and stacks of peat, another glimpse of the heath, and the sky very light,’ and he concluded, ‘I believe I’ve found my country, you know.’