On the pasture

The watercolour explores the theme of life in the countryside, with three figures in the foreground, cantered as part of a vast landscape. A clearly defined horizon line separates the vast pasture from the sky. The motif of a village was popular in the paintings of the second half of the 19th century; it included such artists as Józef Chełmoński and Włodzimierz Tetmajer. Art began to focus on themes taken from the everyday life of peasants, which creates a contrast with momentous history painting. The work of simple people found a place in the art of painting.