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Henry Brittan WillisA Milkmaid and cows1846
1846
$2,171.54
£1,600
€1,867.96
CA$3,041.13
A$3,335.19
CHF 1,727.39
MX$40,074.87
NOK 21,751.97
SEK 20,414.85
DKK 13,955.39
About the Item
Henry Brittan Willis (1810–1884) was a British painter celebrated for his pastoral landscapes and depictions of rural life. Born in Bristol, Willis trained under his father, the miniature painter Henry Willis, and later developed a career that combined elements of animal painting and landscape art. He exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy between 1844 and 1876, as well as at the British Institution and the Society of British Artists.
A contemporary of artists such as William Shayer and Thomas Sidney Cooper, Willis shared their interest in the harmony between figures, animals, and nature. His paintings typically portray tranquil scenes of the English countryside — cattle, sheep, and farm workers rendered with warm realism and a keen sense of atmosphere. Willis’s work reflects both technical precision and poetic sentiment, emphasizing the beauty of rural labour and the quiet dignity of agrarian life.
His use of light and tone shows a subtle mastery: soft, diffused illumination unites animals, figures, and landscape in a single pastoral mood. Today, his works remain admired for their gentle naturalism and their celebration of the peaceful English countryside at the height of the Victorian era.
This pastoral scene by Henry Brittan Willis exemplifies his tender approach to rural subjects.
In the foreground, a milkmaid dressed in muted tones of blue, white and yellow. She holds a wooden pail, pausing as she tends to her three cows — one rich brown, one black, and one brown-and-white The careful modelling of their coats shows Willis’s sensitivity to light and texture, each animal distinct in character and colour.
To the left, seated on a low rock, a shepherd rests, observing the scene quietly. His presence lends balance and narrative — a human figure of repose within the calm order of country life. Behind him, soft greenery and red-brown soil.
The pond itself adds luminosity to the centre of the painting.
Willis’s palette is harmonious and natural: warm earth browns, golden greens, and soft blues interwoven with fine glazes that create a serene, sunlit atmosphere. His brushwork is smooth yet lively, blending animal realism with the poetic calm of pastoral landscape painting.
The scene embodies the essence of Willis’s art — tranquil, balanced, and affectionate — a celebration of rural labour, natural beauty, and the enduring harmony between humankind, animals, and the land.
Dimensions without the frame: 40.5 x 51.5 cm
Signed and dated: H. B. Willis/ 49
- Creator:Henry Brittan Willis (1810 - 1884)
- Creation Year:1846
- Dimensions:Height: 26.78 in (68 cm)Width: 30.91 in (78.5 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:GB
- Reference Number:Seller: 591stDibs: LU2841217051832
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