An exceptional early 19th century Dutch master oil on canvas, circa 1800, depicting a shepherd boy under the summer sky herding cattle down a path with a city vedute off in the distance. This genre of landscape painting originated in Flanders, where artists painted vedute or views as early as the 16th century. In the 17th century, Dutch painters made a specialty of detailed and accurate recognizable cities and landscapes that appealed to the sense of local pride of the wealthy Dutch middle class. The vedute genre became popular in the 18th century during the periods of the Grand Tour when wealthy foreigners from northern parts of Europe, particularly present day Germany and Great Brittain traveled to Italy to admire its classical sites, picturesque vistas, and architecture. The genre was most popular among artists working in Italy, but there are many vedute of other cities in Europe. While the city is not named in the provenance label on reverse, which is in German, this painting features Highland cows so we believe it's a view of a Scottish city and the surrounding countryside. The date also appears to have been changed from 1700 to 1800 at some point. The painting is set within a period carved giltwood frame made in Bridgewater, England.

Dimensions:

h - 34.25" framed; 23.5" unframed

w - 44" framed; 33.5" unframed

d 4.5"

Frame is 5.75" wide