Artwork
Landschaft mit Vieh und Hirt
Landschaft mit Vieh und Hirt is an unspecified painting by the Barbizon school artist Johann Franz Nepomuk Lauterer. It dates from 1716 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Johann Franz Nepomuk Lauterer’s 1716 oil painting, titled *Landschaft mit Vieh und Hirt*, presents a tranquil rural scene. The work is part of the collection of Munich’s Alte Pinakothek, where it is displayed among other Baroque landscapes. Its composition balances foreground activity with a distant, atmospheric backdrop, inviting viewers to contemplate a moment of pastoral calm.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas portrays a gentle countryside where cattle graze under a cloudy sky. A shepherd is seated atop one of the cows, grasping a staff, while another animal rests nearby. The arrangement emphasizes a harmonious relationship between humans and livestock, suggesting the stability and simplicity of agrarian life in early eighteenth‑century Central Europe.
Technique & Style
Lauterer employs a subtle chiaroscuro, using contrasts of light and shadow to model forms and convey depth. The foreground figures are rendered with clearer detail, while the rocky cliff and sky recede through softer tonal transitions, creating atmospheric perspective. The palette of muted earth tones reinforces the scene’s calm, natural ambience.
History & Provenance
Created in 1716, the painting entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings as part of its Baroque acquisitions, reflecting the museum’s focus on Germanic art of the period. Its documented provenance traces back to regional collections before its transfer to the Munich institution, where it remains accessible to the public.
Artist & collection
Artist
Johann Franz Nepomuk Lauterer (1700–1733) was an artist, born in Vienna.
