Small but very fine landscape painting with horses at the well (German title: Pferde am Ziehbrunnen) was created ca. in 1840-1850. On the original frame there is an antique bronze plaque with the name of the artist: " A.v.(von) Pettenkofen". Despite the absence of a signature , but based on the comparison manner, identical motive, time and quality of this work with other paintings, created by Pettenkofen in the time of his work in Hungary (end of 1840s) we have come to the conclusion that our picture has all the criteria to be attributed to the hand of August von Pettenkoffen (1821 - 1889), one of the most important Austrian painters of 19th century. For ccomparison see addtional photos with several famous and similar paintings by the same artist. August von Pettenkofen (1821-1889), born in Vienna, what brought up on his father´s estate in Galicia. Having decided to give up the military career on which he had started, he devoted himself to painting, taking for his subjects the simple scenes of the life on the dreary Puszta. His paintings are treasured for their fine qualities of color, and for the sincerity with which the artist sets before us the uneventful melancholy life of Hungarian peasants and gypsies without any theatrical pathos or forced humour.

Literature: For comparison see a few similar images in the monography "August von Pettenkoffen" , Vienna, 1916, V.I, page 106, plate XXIV and p.126; , "Lexicon of Austrian artists" by Prof. H.Fuchs,Vienna, 1975.

Inscription: unsigned, antique bronze plaque with the name of the artist on the original frame.

Technique: oil on wood panel, luxuriousy original period gilded frame.

Measurements: unframed w 6" x h 8 5/8" (15 x 22 cm), framed w 13 3/8" x h 16 1/8" (34 x 41 cm).

Condition: in good condition.