HENRI SCHOUTEN
"Landscape with Cows"
Belgian School, 1857-1927
Oil on Canvas, Signed
15.75" x 12.75" framed
An important early work by the artist, this intimate image of cows resting in a field can be dated to around 1885. Presented in its original frame it perfectly captures the artist’s skills as a painter. Schouten loved the rural beauty of Belgium and chose to paint its people, animals, and landscape. Some reference books note that he was born in Ghent when he was in fact born in Indonesia in 1857 of Dutch parents. Schouten showed early promise as a painter. Encouraged to pursue an artistic vocation, he enrolled at the prestigious Brussels Academy in 1876. Studying under the great animal painter, Alfred Verwee persuaded the young artist to emulate his teacher and devote his life to painting animal subjects.
It appears that Henri Schouten worked mostly on direct commission as he rarely found it necessary to exhibit his work. He did, however, participate in the major exhibition, ‘Union des Arts’ held in Brussels in 1882. An important retrospective exhibition of his paintings was held in The Hague in 1947.