Artwork
Cattle and Figures at a Farmyard Stream
Cattle and Figures at a Farmyard Stream is an ink print by the Baroque artist Marco Ricci. It dates from 1702 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Marco Ricci’s 1702 etching titled *Cattle and Figures at a Farmyard Stream* presents a tranquil rural tableau rendered on blue laid paper. The composition captures a pastoral setting where livestock, a distant rider, and a modest thatched dwelling coexist beside a gently flowing stream.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts a bucolic scene: cows linger near the water’s edge, a solitary horseman traverses a path in the background, and a small thatched house is set behind a low fence, framed by trees and shrubbery. The arrangement suggests a harmonious relationship between human activity and the natural landscape.
Technique & Style
Ricci employed the traditional etching process, incising lines into a metal plate with a needle and then using acid to bite the design. The resulting dark lines are set against a subtle blue ground, while careful shading creates a sense of spatial depth, lending the image both detail and calm.
History & Provenance
Created in the early eighteenth century, the print reflects Ricci’s engagement with the Italian veduta tradition. It survives on blue laid paper, a common support for prints of the period, and is catalogued among his known works from the same year.
Artist & collection
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