Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/george-morland-385" aria-label="More by George Morland" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">George Morland</a>
Cowherd and Milkmaid
Bequeathed by George Salting 1910
actions: expressive
adults
agricultural
agriculture and fishing
animals: mammals
architecture
bucket
cow
farmland
fence
gate
herdsman / herdswoman
herdsman / herdswoman, cowherd
landscape
livestock pen
man
milkmaid
objects
people
pig
stable
talking
townscapes / man-made features
vessels and containers
woman
work and occupations
<p>This simple scene of rustic folk at a farmstead is characteristic of much of Morland's work in its portrayal of an incident from contemporary life. He captures the fleeting moment when the milkmaid enters the pen and exchanges a friendly greeting with the cowherd.Morland achieved immense success with his picturesque scenes of everyday rural life. His subjects were inspired by seventeenth-century Dutch masters who had established the tradition of rustic genre. The influence of Gainsborough's pastoral landscapes is also apparent although Morland's are more naturalistic and give the impression that they are direct reflections of the lives of country people at the end of the eighteenth century.</p><p><em>Gallery label, August 2004</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
Cowherd and Milkmaid
frame: 722 × 873 × 94 mm
support: 508 × 660 mm
Bequeathed by George Salting 1910
<p>This simple scene of rustic folk at a farmstead is characteristic of much of Morland's work in its  portrayal of an incident from contemporary life. He captures the fleeting moment when the milkmaid enters the pen and exchanges a friendly greeting with the cowherd.<br/>Morland achieved immense success with his <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/picturesque" title="Glossary definition for 'Picturesque'"><span>picturesque</span></a> scenes of everyday rural life. His subjects were inspired by seventeenth-century Dutch masters who had established the tradition of rustic <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/g/genres" title="Glossary definition for 'Genres'"><span>genre</span></a>. The influence of Gainsborough's pastoral <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/l/landscape" title="Glossary definition for 'Landscape'"><span>landscapes</span></a> is also apparent although Morland's are more naturalistic and give the impression that they are direct reflections of the lives of country people at the end of the eighteenth century.</p>
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2004-08-18T00:00:00
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actions: expressive adults agricultural agriculture and fishing animals: mammals architecture bucket cow farmland fence gate herdsman / herdswoman herdsman / herdswoman, cowherd landscape livestock pen man milkmaid objects people pig stable talking townscapes / man-made features vessels and containers woman work and occupations