{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O125357"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O125357/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BH7493/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BH7493/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BH7493","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JY2341","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O125357/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O125357","accessionNumber":"CAI.109","objectType":"Oil painting","titles":[{"title":"Landscape with Cows","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"<i>Landscape with Cows</i>, in which a drover leads cattle to water, is one of several copies of<i> A wooded landscape with a herdsman, cows and sheep near a pool</i> by Thomas Gainsborough (Christie’s sale 2008; current ownership unknown). The original Gainsborough painting is one of a pair, completed in 1786, and is typical of the quiet repose of his later work. It is a variant of a similar picture by Gainsborough, <i>Boy Driving Cows near a Pool</i>, c.1786, in the Tate Gallery. The V&A copy was sold by Christie’s in 1825 and so must be a comparatively early replica of Gainsborough’s work compared to the many imitations of his paintings which are probably mid-nineteenth century or later in date.","physicalDescription":"In the foreground, a pool formed by the bend of a stream flows towards the spectator’s left. In the centre, a man drives three cows to the right. On the left, middle distance, is a cottage amid trees; there are trees also on the right. In the distance are hills.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Gainsborough, Thomas (RA)","id":"A8411"},"association":{"text":"after","id":"THES283471"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"oil paint","id":"AAT15050"},{"text":"canvas","id":"AAT14078"}],"techniques":[{"text":"oil painting","id":"AAT178684"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Oil on canvas","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[{"text":"British School","id":"x30967"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006BH7493","2017JY2341"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"B","id":"THES304886"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"oil paintings","id":"AAT33799"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"18th century to 19th century","earliest":"1752-01-01","latest":"1900-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Constantine Alexander Ionides","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"23","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"approx.","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"29","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"approx.","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"58.42","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"73.66","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"","value":"","unit":"","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"Measurement taken at time of assessment prior to BH decant - Frame Dimensions (mm): H-789 W-945 D-65;\nPainting Dimensions (mm): not measured"}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions taken from <i>Summary catalogue of British Paintings</i>, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1973","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"At the back on a stretcher is chalked: 256 & Feb 23/83 and stencilled 791 P.\r\n\r\nOn the back on a MS label in faded handwriting: \tThis Picture Painted by \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThomas Gainsborough - &\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPurchased by Mr Bromley at \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMr Christie’s Sale Room London\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tin 1825.\r\n","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"On the back of the painting"}],"objectHistory":"Probably identical with 'A landscape with cattle watering, an early picture in imitation of Berghem', Christie's, 13 May 1825, lot 20, sold for £6. 6s. 0d. [According to an MS. label on the verso of CAI. 109; 'This Picture Painted by Thomas Gainsborough and purchased by Mr Bromley at Mr Christie's Sale Room London in 1825.']; W. Angerstein collection; his sale, Christie's 24 February 1883, lot 256 as by Gainsborough; bought for £73 10s. 0d. by Constantine Alexander Ionides; his inventory (private collection) 24 February 1883 valued at £70; bequeathed by C.A. Ionides, 1900.\n\n","historicalContext":"<i>Landscape with Cows</i>, in which a drover leads cattle to water, is one of several copies of <i>A wooded landscape with a herdsman, cows and sheep near a pool</i> by Thomas Gainsborough (Christie’s, New York, 15 April 2008, lot 57; current ownership unknown). The V&A version, however, omits the figures outside the cottage and the sheep in the foreground. \r\n\r\nThe original Gainsborough painting is one of a pair, completed in 1786, purchased by Robert Palmer (d.1787), a successful London solicitor, or his son, Richard Palmer (d. 1806), and is typical of the quiet repose of Gainsborough’s later work (Hayes, John, <i>The Landscape Paintings of Thomas Gainsborough: A Critical Text and Catalogue Raisonné</i>, Volume Two, London 1982, p.563, Cat. No. 180). It is a variant of a similar picture by Gainsborough, <i>Boy Driving Cows near a Pool</i>, c.1786 (Tate Gallery, N00309) in which the sheep have been omitted in the foreground, and a park gate and a different arrangement of trees replace the cottage with figures on the left. \r\n\r\nThe V&A copy was sold by Christie’s in 1825 and so must be a comparatively early replica of Gainsborough’s work compared to the many imitations of his paintings which are probably mid-nineteenth century or later in date (Hayes Volume One, 1982, p.280). It was referred to as ‘The sham Gainsborough’ in the<i> Athenæum</i> (23rd July 1904, p.118).\r\n","briefDescription":"Oil painting, Landscape with Cows, after Thomas Gainsborough, British school, late 18th to early 19th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>Athenæum</i>, 23rd July 1904, p.118."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Wise, Sydney, <i>Art Chronicle</i>, 26th March 1910, p. 97."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"cows","id":"x30280"},{"text":"landscape","id":"x35496"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["CAI.109"],"accessionNumberNum":"109","accessionNumberPrefix":"CAI","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-05","recordCreationDate":"2006-06-21","availableToBook":true}}