Artwork
Cattle and Landscape
Cattle and Landscape is an oil painting by the Hudson River School artist James McDougal Hart. It dates from 1867 and is held in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a rural scene populated by cattle, a man, a cowboy, and a horse, set against a backdrop of sky, clouds, and trees.
James McDougal Hart's 1867 painting, Cattle and Landscape, functions as both a landscape and an animal art piece. The composition depicts a rural scene populated by cattle, a man, a cowboy, and a horse, set against a backdrop of sky, clouds, and trees. A river flows through the environment, which also includes a village featuring a distinct bell tower.
The work represents a pastoral American setting where human activity and livestock are integrated into the natural topography, blending the genres of landscape and animal art.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1867, this work is an oil painting on canvas. The composition integrates animal art within a broader landscape setting, depicting cattle alongside a cowboy and horse near a river. The background features a village with a bell tower, trees, and a sky filled with clouds. The piece measures 50.4 cm in height and 75.7 cm in width.
History & Provenance
Cattle and Landscape is an oil painting by James McDougal Hart dated 1867, the year recorded as its inception. The work entered the collection of the Brooklyn Museum, where it is held. No further details of commission, intermediate ownership, or acquisition history are documented in the available sources.
Cattle and Landscape is held in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum, where it is recorded under the accession number 28.100.44. The work was first exhibited at the National Academy of Design in 1868 and later included in the museum's 1932 exhibition "American Paintings from the 19th Century," as documented in exhibition records. It remains part of the museum's permanent holdings and has been featured in several thematic shows focusing on 19th‑century American landscape and animal subjects.
Overview
James McDougal Hart’s 1867 oil painting Cattle and Landscape presents a quiet western scene where a herd of cattle grazes beside a river while a lone rider watches from a nearby hill. The composition balances open sky, a modest village, and a bell tower, creating a harmonious view of rural life under a clouded horizon.
Context
Hart, a prominent figure among Hudson River School artists, frequently combined sweeping vistas with genre scenes of everyday life. Cattle and Landscape exemplifies his interest in portraying the American frontier’s pastoral aspects, integrating both the grandeur of the terrain and the modest activities of its inhabitants.
Artist & collection
Artist
James McDougal Hart (May 10, 1828 – October 24, 1901) was an American landscape and cattle painter of the Hudson River School.
