A charming 19th-century English depiction of woodcutters working in a forest alongside their families.

Towards the centre of the composition, a figure drags his axe overhead - poised to bring it down with force. The broad tree before him bears the marks of his endeavours. While, in the foreground, a woman rests alongside a child while two more play behind her. Perhaps these are related to the woodcutter and watching their father at work.

The theme is synonymous with a certain type of mid to late 19th-century landscape painting in Britain. With the demand for landscapes ever-increasing, painters would scour the regions looking for scenes, spots and shades.

And the brushwork is reminiscent of the Birmingham painter, David Cox Senior (1783-1859) so it’s plausible that the artist knew him. Cox was a prominent member of the ’Birmingham School’ and he painted in a stripped-down style by removing details and employing generalisations.

The painting is housed within a period frame.

Medium: Oil on board
Overall size: 14½” x 16½” / 37cm x 42cm
Year of creation: c. 1850
Provenance: England
Condition: Very presentable. Frame with light wear.