The artwork titled “Cattle drinking” is a creation by Paul Gauguin from the year 1885, produced in France. It is an oil on canvas piece, categorized under the Impressionism movement and identified as an animal painting. This painting is currently housed in the Galleria d’Arte Moderna in Milan, Italy.
The artwork reveals a pastoral scene rich with verdant hues, capturing a moment of tranquility as cattle drink from a small woodland stream. Tall trees frame the composition, their trunks drawing the eye upward and creating a sense of grandeur and depth. The dappled sunlight filters through the leaves, casting a pattern of light and shadow that imparts a lively texture to the scene. In the foreground, a brown cow is seen stooping toward the water, while others are partly obscured by the foliage, emphasizing the harmony between the animals and their natural surroundings. The impasto technique Gauguin employs adds palpable texture to the landscape, typical of the Impressionist endeavor to portray the transient effects of light. The choice of vibrant and juxtaposed colors, another hallmark of the Impressionist palette, suggests a moment captured in the fullness of daylight, while also creating a rich tapestry that borders on the abstract in its exuberance.
