Artwork
Lambs, Nantucket
Lambs, Nantucket is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Eastman Johnson. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Eastman Johnson’s 1874 oil on board titled “Lambs, Nantucket” depicts a quiet rural tableau. A woman in a long black dress and a yellow hat edged in red stands amid a field, while a small lamb drinks from a bowl in the foreground and two more graze farther back. The composition captures a moment of ordinary life on the island.
Subject & Meaning
The work centers on a domestic scene that blends human presence with pastoral activity. The woman’s attire and the surrounding livestock suggest a harmonious relationship between the island’s inhabitants and their agricultural environment, emphasizing the simplicity of daily routines.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on board, the painting employs a realistic approach characteristic of Johnson’s mid‑nineteenth‑century practice. Careful attention to detail renders the textures of fabric, foliage, and animal fur, while the muted palette reinforces the naturalistic atmosphere.
History & Provenance
Created in 1874, “Lambs, Nantucket” reflects Johnson’s interest in American genre scenes during the post‑Civil War period. The piece has remained documented in collections that focus on 19th‑century American art, illustrating the artist’s continued relevance to studies of regional life.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jonathan Eastman Johnson (July 29, 1824 – April 5, 1906) was an American painter and co-founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, with his name inscribed at its entrance.
