Francesco Zuccarelli, 'Landscape with Cattle and Figures', about 1750-70
About the work
Overview
A family take a break while on a journey, resting beneath a tree as their cattle and goats wade into a shallow pool. The two young children watch the animals attentively, one raising a long stick in an attempt to herd them. Beyond, a winding dirt track leads us into the painting and towards a hilltop village. A handful of people climb this path – two figures in long robes, and a herdsman and his animals are higher up.
Zuccarelli mainly worked in Venice but visited England twice during the 1750s and 1760s, following in the footsteps of his near contemporary Canaletto. His idealised Italian landscapes were popular among English collectors, and he was a founding member of the Royal Academy in London. This work could have been painted during his stay in England or on his return to Italy.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- Landscape with Cattle and Figures
- Artist
- Francesco Zuccarelli
- Artist dates
- 1702 - 1788
- Date made
- about 1750-70
- Medium and support
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 92.7 × 132.4 cm
- Acquisition credit
- Bequeathed by the Misses Cohen as part of the John Samuel Collection, 1906
- Inventory number
- NG2087
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Michael Levey, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Italian Schools’, London 1986; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Bibliography
-
1956Levey, Michael, National Gallery Catalogues: The Eighteenth Century Italian Schools, London 1956
-
1986Levey, Michael, National Gallery Catalogues: The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Italian Schools, London 1986
-
2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.