“Landscape with Cattle” by Thomas Gainsborough, created around 1773, is an oil painting on canvas emblematic of the Rococo art movement. The artwork, measuring 145 x 120 cm, belongs to the landscape genre and is housed at the Yale Center for British Art, Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut, US.
The artwork presents a tranquil rural panorama bathed in the warm glow of golden light, highlighting the harmonious relationship between humans, animals, and nature. Cattle, central to the composition, graze and idle near a stream running through the scene. A pastoral atmosphere is evoked by lush trees and rolling hills, with a distant background showing soft, diffuse light. The use of color and light exemplifies Gainsborough’s mastery in creating depth and capturing the serene beauty of the countryside, reflecting the Rococo style’s emphasis on idyllic and natural themes.
