This oil on artist’s board (carton entoilé) depicts two cows resting and grazing in a pastoral landscape under an overcast sky with a low horizon line and soft diffused light. The composition is characterized by naturalistic modeling, atmospheric recession, and a muted tonal palette of umber, olive, and gray-green, all of which are hallmark traits of the French Barbizon School. Although unsigned, the execution is consistent with Troyon’s established manner and period materials, and is therefore appropriately cataloged as Attributed to Constant Troyon (French, 1810–1865).
Constant Troyon was born in Sèvres, near Paris. By the late 1840s, Troyon had developed his mature style, combining Dutch Golden Age pastoral sensibilities with the tonal naturalism and painterly realism of the Barbizon circle. His paintings often depicted cattle or sheep in open meadows, framed by trees and low skies rendered with a subtle atmospheric haze.
The low horizon and centralized animal grouping parallel known compositions by Troyon, such as Vaches au pâturage (Musée d’Orsay) and Landscape with Cattle (Wallace Collection), both of which emphasize the dignity of working animals within tranquil, light-infused landscapes. The muted tonality and even illumination of the present work further situate it within that lineage.
The work is executed on a pressed artist’s board with a fine-textured ground consistent with commercially prepared French painting supports of the mid- to late-nineteenth century. Under magnification, the surface presents a consistent craquelure pattern and dry, matte finish, indicative of an older natural resin varnish that has since oxidized or been lightly abraded. The painting appears structurally stable, with minor surface grime, scattered scuffs, and faint edge wear, but no visible losses, overpainting, or restorations.
Details:
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Dimensions: 15 1/2" W x 11 1/2" H
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Medium: Oil on pressed artist's board, or “carton entoilé"
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Age: Circa 1855-1870
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Origin: France (Barbizon School)
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Signature/mark: None visible
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Disclaimers: Age-appropriate wear and patina; minor surface grime, scattered scuffs, and faint edge wear, but no visible losses, overpainting, or restorations.
**This piece has been professionally appraised to guarantee fair market value.
