Collections Online

The translucent sunlight and windswept bushes show Cox’s skill in portraying weather effects. A renowned watercolourist, he only began to experiment with oils later in his career. This shift in technique may explain the fluidity of his brushwork and freshness of colour in paintings such as this one. The location depicted is unknown . However, Cox often painted in north Wales. Windmills were common motifs in seventeenth-century Dutch landscapes and in the watercolours of Cox and his contemporaries such as J.S.Cotman. The mill in this landscape is reminiscent of the one in 'On Dulwich Common, Surrey', reproduced as plate XVII of Cox's 'Treatise on Landscape Painting and Effect' published in 1813. The woman with a cape, the packhorse, dog and hens are typical rustic accessories in Cox's landscapes.