Henri Dupont's "Cows Grazing" is a grand pastoral landscape of remarkable depth, painted with a true feeling for the open countryside. Dupont composes the scene as a journey for the eye, carrying it from the clear stream in the foreground through the herd gathered at the water, along a winding path to a farmhouse beneath the willows, and on into meadows that seem to stretch without end. The sense of space is so convincing that the viewer seems to stand at the edge of the pasture, with the whole landscape unfolding ahead.
The sky commands more than half the canvas, a vast and moving expanse of towering clouds touched by the first light of the rising sun. Dupont's mastery of atmospheric perspective gives the landscape remarkable breadth and air, with colors cooling and lightening as they recede, and the reflections of the cattle shimmering in the still water. Each animal is painted with its own character, from the white and russet cow lowering her head to drink to her dark companion turning toward the viewer. The result captures the timeless spirit of rural life in the Low Countries, a theme cherished by Belgian and Dutch painters for generations.
Henri Dupont (1890 to 1961) was a Belgian painter whose work reflects the rich realist tradition of Belgian painting. A versatile artist, he painted pastoral landscapes with grazing cattle, still lifes, portraits, and views of Antwerp, including a 1945 painting of Saint James Church in Antwerp. His subjects ranged from country pastures to a portrait of a military chaplain and a still life of the painter's own tools. His paintings are offered at respected Belgian auction houses such as Campo & Campo in Antwerp and Rops in Namur, and his work has been featured by the Maryhill Museum of Art in Washington State.
Of impressive scale and presented in a substantial gilded frame with a running laurel leaf border and a gold leaf liner, a commanding statement above a mantel or sofa, or in a grand entry, dining room, or library.
Circa early 20th century.
Measures 34.5H x 63W x 3.5D
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Available at Inessa Stewart's Antiques, Dallas Design District, Dallas, Texas.