Return of the Herd 1898

"Return of the Herd" (1898) by Edgar Degas is a pastel on paper painting depicting a pastoral scene of a village street lined with houses and a group of cows returning home. The soft, muted tones of the pastel create a sense of tranquility, while the loose brushwork evokes a sense of movement. Degas, best known for his paintings of dancers, also created landscapes, often focusing on the countryside around his home in France. This work captures the quiet charm of rural life, a theme that appears frequently in his art.