Vache Allongée

19th-century Belgian school oil painting on wooden panel attributed on the back to Rosa Venneman (1825-1909), including the date of the work as May 26, 1920. The work has a texture to the touch.

It isn't immediately evident, but this painting featuring the relaxing cow also features the sea. There are even two sailboats visible in the background. The cow seems to be resting in a soft grassy area along the shore. The panel is divided into three equal parts, the grassy foreground, the sea and the wild sky. The brushstrokes exhibit variations in thickness and strength. The Impressionist approach is evident in the juxtaposition of quick brushstrokes and play of light. The selection of the seascape and its perspective renders it a rare piece, both within the body of Rosa Venneman's work, and by the standards of the late 19th century and early 20th century.

About the artist: 

Rosa Venneman, a Belgian artist hailing from Antwerp in 1825, was introduced to the world of graphic arts at a tender age by her father, Charles Venneman, a painter in his own right. She developed a keen sensitivity towards landscapes and animals, with a special emphasis on cow-inhabited landscapes. Her work is noted for its intelligent manipulation of light, not only accentuating the beauty of her subjects but also harmoniously integrating them with their surroundings.

After her father's death, Rosa moved to Paris in 1875 and, a few years later, joined the Circle of Women Painters in Brussels, a group inspired by France's Union of Women Painters and Sculptors. Her career was marked by regular participation in national exhibitions across Belgium and France. Her work, "Prairie de Flandre," was particularly celebrated at the Salon in Paris, leading to her recognition and the acquisition of her paintings by various galleries and museums in France. Rosa Venneman's legacy, especially her serene cow landscapes, continues to be revered, with pieces residing in both Belgian and French museums, even though records of her trail off after 1909.

• Overall Size: 12.2" x 15.3" / 31cm x 39cm.
  
• Size without the frame: 9" x 12.2" / 23.5cm x 31.5cm.
  
• Country: Belgium.  
  
• Signed: Rosa Venneman (1825-1909).
• Date: Mid-19th-century.
• Condition: The work has craquelures along the surface above the cow's back. Small stains are visible on the edges as well as gaps due to framing. The authentic frame has small impacts but no major shortcomings.
• Materials: Oil on wood panel with a wood and stucco frame.
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