The village of Middelharnis is on the north coast of an island in South Holland called Over Flakee. While many Dutch landscapes show nature apparently 'au naturel', Hobbema's landscape is almost entirely shaped and managed by man.

The immaculately kept orchard on the right is tended by a man with a pruning knife. A second, equally orderly orchard can be seen a little further away on the left. The patch of ground in the foreground is the only dark and uncultivated piece of land in the picture.

The careful gardener appears to be pruning his trees with a knife. The bench in front of him provides something to stand on should he need to reach the top. The object in his mouth is probably a white clay pipe.

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