Driving sheep in a rocky landscape
Beginning in the 1830s, Cox became known for his distinctive, washy handling, which was well suited to conveying effects of wind and weather. His late style is used here to represent a shepherd and his flock. Reserved paper indicates a bright cloud in the sky, and scratches on a tree trunk suggest sparkles of recent rain. A similar work, View near Betwys-y-Coed (1846; Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery), provides an approximate date and locale for this drawing. Cox visited the Conwy valley in Wales every summer from 1844 to 1856. He wrote to his son in 1853 to explain his rough handling as signifying landscapes that are "the work of the mind [rather than] portraits of places."
Artwork Details
- Title: Driving sheep in a rocky landscape
- Artist: David Cox (British, Birmingham 1783–1859 Harborne, near Birmingham)
- Date: ca. 1846
- Medium: Black chalk and watercolor, heightened with white gouache (bodycolor) and gum arabic
- Dimensions: Sheet: 10 3/16 × 14 5/16 in. (25.9 × 36.3 cm)
- Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: Purchase, PECO Foundation Gift, 2016
- Object Number: 2016.118
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
David Cox
1800–1859
David Cox
ca. 1850
Multiple artists/makers
1814
David Cox
1829
David Cox
1830
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.