644 - Jules Dupré, Vaches s'abreuvant dans une mare (Cows drinking from a pond), oil painting circa 1860 in its original frame

Jules Dupré, Vaches s'abreuvant dans une mare (Cows drinking from a pond), oil painting circa 1860 in its original frame Jules Dupré, 1811 Nantes - 1889 L’Isle-Adam, a leading French painter and a key figure in the Barbizon School; here: A vast landscape beneath a high, cloudy sky featuring two cows drinking from a body of water, oil on canvas, 19 x 27.5 cm, signed on the right, in good original condition for its age, in its original gilded stucco frame About the artist: Jules Dupré is regarded as one of the most important pioneers of modern French landscape painting and set new standards for the realistic depiction of nature, free from academic constraints. As the son of a porcelain manufacturer, he initially learnt the craft of porcelain painting. In 1831, he made his debut at the Paris Salon with landscape motifs from France. Trips to England shaped his style through the influence of John Constable, who was known for dramatic lighting effects, dynamic cloudscapes and atmospheric depictions of nature. Jules Dupré particularly enjoyed painting oak trees, ponds, seascapes and rural scenes featuring cottages and livestock. Dupré broke with the classical, idealised landscape composition and paved the way for Impressionism. His works can now be seen in major collections around the world, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art.