The Watering Place

The artwork titled The Watering Place is a painting, created in 1855. It is currently housed in the National Museum Wales. The painting is 0.557 meters in width and 0.447 meters in height. The author of this piece is unknown.

The painting depicts a scene of rural life, likely set in the evening or early morning due to the muted, almost monochromatic palette. A young man, illuminated against the darker background, rides a white horse towards the viewer. The horse appears to be mid-stride, its legs kicking up dust from the ground. The rider sits bareback, his body leaning forward slightly.

Behind the main figure, another rider on horseback is partially obscured by the first, their features less defined. A third figure, also on horseback, is barely visible in the background, blending into the landscape.

A black dog with a long body stands in the foreground to the left, its gaze directed towards the viewer. It almost appears as a silhouette against the lighter ground.

The background of the painting is dominated by a row of buildings, likely houses or farm structures, rendered in various shades of brown and gray. The buildings are slightly blurred, suggesting distance and contributing to the overall hazy atmosphere of the scene. The sky above is a muted gray-blue, hinting at either dawn or dusk.