Bryndwr is now a residential suburb of Christchurch but at the time this work was painted it had a more rural aspect. Archibald Nicoll painted many local landscapes close to Christchurch. Serving with the New Zealand Field Artillery, he had lost a leg at the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and those injuries later prevented him from visiting the more inaccessible areas of Canterbury. Painted out of doors, the generally naturalistic colours in this work reflect the influence of Nicoll's training at the Edinburgh School of Art.

Born in Lincoln, Christchurch, Nicoll began evening classes at the Canterbury College School of Art in 1905 while working for the Union Steamship Company Office. By 1908 he was an assistant art master at the Elam School of Art and Design in Auckland. In 1910 he continued his education in London and Edinburgh. Following war service, in 1919 Nicoll was appointed Director of the Canterbury College of Art. In 1947 he was awarded an OBE for services to art.