Artwork
Landscape with Peasants Regaling Themselves in a Wood

Landscape with Peasants Regaling Themselves in a Wood is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Johann Andreas Herrlein. It dates from 1775 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Johann Andreas Herrlein’s 1775 oil painting, Landscape with Peasants Regaling Themselves in a Wood, presents a convivial gathering of rural figures set within a forested landscape. The work is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection and measures the interaction of human activity against a tranquil natural backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a group of peasants assembled around a table, some seated, others standing, engaged in eating, drinking, and music-making. A musician performs on an instrument while another figure pours wine from a jug, suggesting a moment of communal celebration and leisure within the woods.
Technique & Style
Herrlein employs a palette of warm hues, applying soft, blended brushstrokes that lend the scene an intimate, inviting atmosphere. The delicate handling of light on foliage and the subtle gradations of the cloudy sky enhance the sense of depth and reinforce the gentle, convivial mood of the gathering.
History & Provenance
Created in the late eighteenth century, the painting entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings, where it remains on display. Its provenance traces back to the artist’s workshop in Germany, reflecting the period’s interest in genre scenes that combined pastoral settings with everyday social rituals.
Artist & collection
Artist
Johann Andreas Herrlein (1723–1796) was an artist, born in Münnerstadt.















