Artwork

Landscape with flocks

Landscape with flocks, by Hendrik-Jozef Antonissen, oil, 1794
Landscape with flocks, by Hendrik-Jozef Antonissen, oil, 1794

Landscape with flocks is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Hendrik-Jozef Antonissen. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum. Created in 1794, this oil painting presents a peaceful countryside scene where sheep and cattle roam a verdant meadow.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1794, this oil painting presents a peaceful countryside scene where sheep and cattle roam a verdant meadow. Tall trees frame the foreground, while a meandering path guides the eye toward a softly lit horizon under a pale blue sky. The composition balances natural detail with a calm, expansive atmosphere.

Subject & Meaning

The work illustrates a typical pastoral tableau, emphasizing the harmony between livestock and the landscape. By arranging the animals in gentle clusters and integrating them with the surrounding foliage, the artist conveys an idealized vision of rural life, reflecting contemporary appreciation for agrarian simplicity and the tranquil rhythms of nature.

Technique & Style

Executed in the Rococo tradition, the painting employs delicate brushwork to render individual blades of grass and foliage with fine precision. A subtle palette of greens and blues, combined with nuanced lighting, creates depth and a luminous quality, while the soft transitions between sky and land enhance the scene’s atmospheric serenity.

History & Provenance

The piece was produced by Flemish painter Hendrik‑Jozef Antonissen, active in the Austrian Netherlands, and now belongs to the Fitzwilliam Museum’s collection. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s focus on 18th‑century European landscape art, preserving a representative example of Antonissen’s rural genre works.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Hendrik-Jozef Antonissen

Artist

Hendrik-Jozef Antonissen

Hendrik-Jozef Antonissen (9 June 1737 – 4 April 1794) was a Flemish painter of landscapes and cattle from the Austrian Netherlands in the Holy Roman Empire.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Fitzwilliam Museum open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.