Artwork
Watercolour landscape with cows in a lake
Watercolour landscape with cows in a lake is a watercolor work on paper by Unknown. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This watercolour landscape captures a serene rural moment, featuring two cows wading in shallow lake water near the shore, set against a backdrop of trees and a distant hill.
Subject & Meaning
The scene conveys a sense of peacefulness, emphasizing the everyday presence of livestock in a natural setting, with the cows as central, simple forms.
Technique & Style
Executed in loose, quick brushstrokes, the work retains a sketchy, unfinished quality. Translucent washes and visible paper beneath the pigment enhance the overall light, airy texture.
Context
Characteristic of watercolour's expressive potential, this piece aligns with traditions of outdoor, observational sketching common in landscape art of the time.
Legacy
Similar works can be found in collections like the Victoria and Albert Museum, highlighting the piece's place within a broader tradition of watercolour landscape sketching.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
