Artwork
Landscape with Sheep
Landscape with Sheep is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Jean-Joseph-François Bellel. It dates from 1857 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left below image: J. Bellel pinx et lith; blindstamp in center: LES ARTISTES CONTEMPORAIN; lower right bleow image: Imp Lemercier à Paris; by later hand, upper right in graphite: 110
About this work
Overview
Jean‑Joseph‑François Bellel’s 1857 lithograph titled Landscape with Sheep presents a tranquil, mist‑shrouded countryside. Rendered on wove paper, the composition balances gentle hills, a meandering path, and a modest watercourse, all under a soft, overcast sky that lends the scene a subdued, atmospheric quality.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts two sheep grazing beside a small stream, framed by solitary trees that rise from the middle ground. The pastoral setting, with its quiet figures and muted light, evokes a sense of rural serenity and the timeless rhythm of agricultural life.
Technique & Style
Bellel employed the lithographic process, drawing directly onto a limestone plate with greasy media before transferring the image onto paper. The work is characterized by a scratchy, textured handling of line that models light and shadow, a stylistic approach typical of mid‑nineteenth‑century printmaking.
History & Provenance
Created in 1857, Landscape with Sheep is documented as part of Bellel’s output during a period when lithography was a popular medium for disseminating landscape imagery. The print’s provenance traces to collections of 19th‑century French prints, though specific ownership records are limited.
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