Where can I see Cattle Resting in a Grove with a Man Seated beside a Brook?

Cattle Resting in a Grove with a Man Seated beside a Brook is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Cattle Resting in a Grove with a Man Seated beside a Brook?

Cattle Resting in a Grove with a Man Seated beside a Brook is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Cattle Resting in a Grove with a Man Seated beside a Brook?

Museum-quality prints of Cattle Resting in a Grove with a Man Seated beside a Brook are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Cattle Resting in a Grove with a Man Seated beside a Brook

Salomon Gessner , 1764

Cattle Resting in a Grove with a Man Seated beside a Brook is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Salomon Gessner. It dates from 1764 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Salomon Gessner’s 1764 etching, titled *Cattle Resting in a Grove with a Man Seated beside a Brook*, presents a tranquil woodland tableau. Rendered on laid paper with a pale‑blue wash, the print captures a gentle river winding through a densely treed glade, where cattle pause in the shade and a solitary figure reclines on a stone.

Subject & Meaning

The composition juxtaposes domesticated animals with a contemplative human presence, suggesting a harmonious relationship between pastoral life and nature. The calm demeanor of the cows and the seated man evoke themes of leisure, pastoral idealism, and the serene rhythms of rural existence that were popular in eighteenth‑century European art.

Technique & Style

Gessner employed delicate line work characteristic of etching, meticulously incising foliage, water ripples, and animal forms. The addition of a pale blue tint, applied after printing, unifies the scene with a cool, atmospheric hue, enhancing the sense of depth and lending the image a slightly dreamlike quality.

History & Provenance

Created in 1764, the print belongs to Gessner’s later period, when he was exploring idyllic landscapes alongside his literary output. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work has appeared in several nineteenth‑century collections of Swiss prints, reflecting its continued appreciation among connoisseurs of pastoral imagery.