Oil on canvas
Belgium, 1873
Eugène Verboeckhoven (1798/99-1881) – Belgian animal painter
Signed and dated lower left ‘Eugène Verboeckhoven 1873’
Verso old handwritten confirmation by the artist ‘je soussigné déclare que le tableau ci-contre est original Eugène Verboeckhoven Schaerbeek/Bruxelles 1873’
Framed under glass; opulent, gilt frame
Dimensions: 54 x 68 cm
Good condition
Provenance: Private collection, UK
Finely executed animal painting by the famous Belgian artist; comparable representations of sheep in the countryside by Verboeckhoven fetch up to €140,000

This painting is a characteristic work from the oeuvre of the Belgian animal painter Eugène Verboeckhoven. It shows a small group of sheep by a wooden gate, in a rolling landscape. In the background one can see a herd of grazing sheep. Here once more Verboeckhoven’s artistry in the lifelike rendering of the fluffy sheep's wool comes to show. With great attention to detail the artist executed such details as the eyes of the animals. Even the small summer flowers in the foreground or the plumage of the chicken in the left corner are represented in the finest manner. Verboeckhoven spent all his life painting animals close to life and full of character and reached high virtuosity in this genre.

The painting is signed and dated lower left ‘Eugène Verboeckhoven 1873’. At the back of the canvas there is an old handwritten confirmation by the artist ‘je soussigné déclare que le tableau ci-contre est original Eugène Verboeckhoven Schaerbeek/Bruxelles 1873’. The work in good condition. There are some retouchigns to the background and the edges. The latter are a little rubbed. The frame shows some wear. The framed work measures 87 x 100 cm, the stretcher frame measures 54 x 68 cm.

Eugène Verboeckhoven (1799-1881)

The Belgian painter Eugène Joseph Verboeckhoven was trained in drawing and embossing by his father, the sculptor Barthélemy Verboeckhoven. In 1847, he established a studio in Brussels, where he painted numerous animal depictions, particularly landscapes with sheep. His paintings are characterized by a careful drawing. In addition to his paintings, Verboeckhoven also has etched animal depictions. Works by Verboeckhoven are on display in numerous major museum collections, including the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Courtauld Institute of Art and the Royal Collection in London, as well as the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas.

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