Cattle grazing beside a lake
1850
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1850
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Cattle grazing beside a lake is a 1850 by John Sell Cotman, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This sketch shows a quiet countryside scene with a lake in the foreground. On the near shore, a few logs and scattered brush lie on the ground. In the middle distance, cows graze near a small cluster of buildings, while trees—some leafy, some bare—frame the scene. The artist used fine, precise lines to suggest depth and texture, like the rough bark of trees or the ripples in the water. The drawing feels like a quick study, almost like a sketchbook page. If you like this style, look up cross-hatching to see how artists build detail with layers of lines.
