In this painting, called Moonlight, the moon signals the close of day. This is the first in a series of paintings artist Dwight Tryon created depicting the moonlit haystacks of South Dartmouth, Massachusetts. The moon’s glow, muted by surrounding clouds, gives the scene a sense of quietude. The moon represents the dominance of nature’s cycles over such landscapes. It is also a watchful presence suggesting these fields and buildings are safe for the night.