Individual artwork record · CK-OIL-031
Cattle and Herder in a Pasture
ARTIST & SIGNATURE
Artist and subjects
Frans De Beul (1849–1919) was a Belgian painter of animals and rural life, born in Dendermonde (Termonde). He is known especially for cattle, sheep, herders and lowland country scenes, combining close attention to animal form with group relationships and atmosphere.
CURATORIAL RECORD
Work appreciation
Oil on canvas | Acquired in Belgium | Frans De Beul (1849–1919)
Three cattle form the centre of the painting. The broad black-and-white cow supplies the principal mass; a brown cow leans forward behind it, while the reclining animal lowers and steadies the foreground. Overlap, direction and shifts of light preserve clear depth within the compact group. At right, a herder in a red headscarf stands behind the gate, her small upright figure and note of colour balancing the animals’ weight; a fallen barrel and timber fence bring rural labour into the scene. Low pasture, distant cattle and a softly lit sky extend the space, while grey-green, earth brown and creamy white merge in diffused light. De Beul places close observation of animals within the life of land and work, continuing the cattle-painting tradition of Belgium and the Low Countries.