Cows in the Pasture 1888

Eugène Boudin's "Cows in the Pasture" is made with oil paints, applied to a canvas using brushes. These materials are, of course, the traditional tools of a fine artist, but that is not to say that they are neutral. Consider the pigment, for example. Each subtle modulation of color required grinding and mixing, work that might have been done by the artist themselves, or delegated to studio assistants. Either way, the slow layering of these paints, which evokes the pastoral scene before us, also tells a story of labor. The artist is engaging with skilled traditions, and also histories of creative practices and aesthetics that challenge traditional distinctions between high art and craft. The very act of representing livestock in a field connects the consumption of art to the hard work of animal husbandry. Boudin is also using the techniques of Impressionism, with broken brushstrokes and an emphasis on capturing fleeting moments in the landscape. Ultimately, the impact of "Cows in the Pasture" is inextricable from the materials, making processes, and its social context.