Artwork
Ploughing in Bavaria
Ploughing in Bavaria is an oil painting by the Biedermeier artist Eduard Schleich. It dates from 1851 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
The quiet mood comes from how the mountains and sky swallow the workers’ effort.
This painting shows three farmers plowing a wide, empty field under a big sky. Dark lines of earth cut through the light soil. The men are small against the land, like they’re part of it.
Schleich painted this in 1851 near his home in Bavaria. The quiet mood comes from how the mountains and sky swallow the workers’ effort. It feels calm, not dramatic.
The work feels close to Dutch interiors. Look next at Schleich, Eduard.
Overview
Ploughing in Bavaria is an oil painting created by Schleich in 1851, depicting a serene landscape of farmers at work.
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows three farmers plowing a vast field, their figures dwarfed by the expansive sky and distant mountains, evoking a sense of quiet contemplation.
Technique & Style
The composition is characterized by the contrast between the dark furrows and the light soil, with the workers' efforts seemingly absorbed by the vastness of the landscape, recalling the introspective quality of Dutch interior scenes.
History & Provenance
Schleich, trained as a history painter in Munich, produced this work near his home in Bavaria in 1851, reflecting his shift towards landscape painting inspired by his native region.
Artist & collection
Artist
Eduard Schleich painted quiet landscapes in oils and watercolours in the mid-1800s.
