Artwork
A Herdsman with Three Cows by an Upland Pool
A Herdsman with Three Cows by an Upland Pool is a drawing by the Romanticist artist Thomas Gainsborough. It dates from 1784 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
A Herdsman with Three Cows by an Upland Pool is a mixed-media drawing by Thomas Gainsborough, combining watercolor, ink, oil paint, and chalk on paper. This small, luminous work blends everyday rural life with an imagined, majestic backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a serene rural scene: a herdsman in a red coat stands near a tranquil pool, accompanied by three cows, set against a distant, dreamy mountain landscape. This juxtaposition merges the mundane with the sublime, reflecting Gainsborough’s inclination to elevate the pastoral.
Technique & Style
Gainsborough achieved a jewel-like effect through layered media: watercolor for depth, ink for detail, oil paint for vibrancy, and chalk for texture. The soft, blurred edges, reminiscent of sfumato, contribute to the work’s ethereal quality.
History & Provenance
This drawing was part of a set of 14 landscapes personally selected by Gainsborough as a gift for a close friend, highlighting its personal and emotional value to the artist.
Artist & collection
Artist
Thomas Gainsborough (; 14 May 1727 (baptised) – 2 August 1788) was an English painter, draughtsman and printmaker who specialised in portrait and landscape painting.
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