Koeien in een landschap onder een bewolkte hemel 1876

Théophile Chauvel created this landscape of cows under a cloudy sky as a transfer lithograph. Chauvel's images of rural life were created during a time of great change in France as the country was becoming more industrialized and urbanized. In the 19th century, the representation of farm animals in art served to highlight an idyllic view of nature. These representations idealized rural life, often ignoring the socio-economic realities faced by agricultural workers and farmers. The romanticization of country life and the use of pastoral imagery served as a form of escapism for urban populations. In this image, the cows calmly inhabit a space that appears to be untouched by modernity. Chauvel invites viewers to reflect on their relationship to the natural world. The image captures a moment of tranquility, but it also prompts us to think about the changing landscape of 19th-century France.