The Skylark
1848
David Cox captures the sheer vastness of the British countryside in this sweeping view, where the sky takes up nearly half the canvas. Under the shelter of some windswept trees on the left, three figures sit and gaze out over a golden pasture dotted with grazing cows. While often associated with the roots of Impressionism due to his loose, energetic brushwork, Cox was actually painting this decades before the French movement took off. He started his career painting scenery for theaters, which might explain why his landscapes always feel so dramatic and expansive, prioritizing the mood of the light over strict detail.
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